Ilil Benjamin

Ilil Benjamin is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University, affiliated with the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on international humanitarian organizations, refugee policies in Israel/Palestine and southern Europe, and EU-oriented migration dynamics. She examines how NGOs balance life-saving aid with human rights advocacy in conflict zones, particularly in Israel/Palestine. A secondary focus involves political asylum adjudication in Israel/Palestine, analyzing legal advocacy efforts for Sub-Saharan asylum seekers amid high rejection rates.

Education:

• PhD in Sociology, Cornell University

Her work contextualizes Israel as a transit country for asylum seekers bound for Europe, exploring how prolonged stays reshape regional migration patterns. She mentors undergraduate students in independent research and honors thesis projects.

Affiliations: Office located at Mergenthaler Hall 541B. Office hours: FA24 Thursday 10:45am-11:45am in Gilman Atrium, or by appointment.