Liora R. Halperin

Liora R. Halperin serves as Professor of History at the University of Washington with deep affiliation to the Stroum Center for Jewish Studies, where she previously chaired the Israel Studies Program and contributes to interdisciplinary scholarship on Jewish life in the Middle East.

Her academic foundation includes:

• Ph.D. in History, UCLA (2011)

Halperin's research pioneers intersections of Jewish cultural history, nationalism, and memory studies, with concentrated expertise in language ideology, Zionist settler memory, and Jewish-Arab relations across Ottoman Palestine, British Mandate, and early Israeli periods. Her work critically examines how collective memory shapes national identity through linguistic practices and historical narratives.

Her publications reveal consistent thematic focus on memory politics and linguistic nationalism in Jewish history, demonstrating methodological rigor in analyzing how marginalized narratives challenge dominant historical frameworks. This scholarly trajectory positions her as a leading voice in reinterpreting Zionist history through cultural and social lenses.

Her distinguished recognition includes:

• Shapiro Prize from the Association for Israel Studies for best book in Israel Studies (awarded for 'Babel in Zion')

Through the Stroum Center and Israel Studies Program, Halperin mentors emerging scholars and develops public-facing scholarship, exemplified by her Hebrew language history video for BimBam.com. Her academic leadership extends to shaping curricular frameworks for Jewish and Middle Eastern studies.

As core faculty in the Stroum Center for Jewish Studies, she actively participates in research initiatives examining Sephardic and Mizrahi experiences while fostering community-engaged scholarship across Pacific Northwest Jewish communities.