About Us
The Bucerius Institute for Research of Contemporary German History and Society at the University of Haifa promotes research on contemporary history and on the social, cultural and political reality of Germany. It addresses different disciplinary backgrounds and methodologies, historical periods and immediate geographical contexts, to bring to the fore aspects of modern German and Jewish history, and to reveal the complexity of contemporary German history. The Bucerius Institute was established in 2001 by the ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius and its chairman Prof. Dres. H.c. Manfred Lahnstein. Its basic idea is to foster greater familiarity and understanding of modern Germany among the academic community as well as among the Israeli public, and create abridge between Germany and Israel in particular. The Bucerius Institute realizes its perceptions on three levels:
1. Research
The Bucerius Institute conducts through its academic staff own researches in a broad range of topics within the fields of its interests such as German and Jewish History, Sociology, Science, Photography, Racism, Immigration, German-Israeli relations and more. The institute also supports its researchers with the means of financial aid, helping them with expenses that may arise in the publishing process.
2. Public Events
The Bucerius Institute organizes various public activities in order to facilitate direct encounters between Academia and the broader public. These events include the following: :
- Inviting international guest lecturers and visiting research scholars to give lectures and seminars under the institute’s auspices
- Conducting academic workshops, conferences and organizing special events such as film festivals or musical and theater performances
- Hosting international delegations
3. Scholarships and Academic Exchange
The Bucerius Institute facilitates academic exchange between Germany, Europe and Israel. It has an active exchange program for M.A. and Ph.D. students with grants and scholarships:
- It offers scholarships to graduate students of the University of Haifa whose thesis addresses the research interests of the Institute
- Each year, the Institute offers a six-month-fellowship to foreign graduate students. The grant is given to registered Ph.D. (preferably) or M.A. students, who are in the process of writing their thesis in the Institute’s fields of interest
- The Institute has an internship program that enables interns to come to Haifa for three to five month-period and to support the academic and administrative work of the Institute. It allows young students to get to know Israeli society and culture, as well as to study the Hebrew language at the Haifa University
Interview with Prof. Manfred Lahnstein: