Editors note
Academic life in Israel is closely tied to the intellectual currents and institutions of higher education in the West. In the days following October 7th, a growing understanding has emerged that these ties cannot be taken for granted,
In Old English, the word “understanding” derives from the notion of “standing among” or “standing in the midst of,” evoking the act of mentally grasping or comprehending something. The term carries a sense of depth—as if one were “standing beneath” the surface of knowledge, upholding and sustaining it from within.
As an anthropologist researching peace initiatives and coexistence in Israel/Palestine, I have witnessed firsthand the profound and often violent consequences of importing Eurocentric frameworks into a context they do not adequately address or understand.
We express ourselves with the aim of being understood. “No one who has something original or important to say will willingly run the risk of being misunderstood,”
