Nadav Shelef

Nadav Shelef serves as Professor of Political Science and the Harvey M. Meyerhoff Professor of Israel Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he holds the Department Chair position. He maintains dual affiliations with the Center for Jewish Studies and Middle East Studies Program, contributing to interdisciplinary research on Middle Eastern politics and Jewish studies.

His academic foundation includes a Ph.D. (2005) and M.A. (1998) in Political Science from UC Berkeley, complemented by a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania (1996). This rigorous training underpins his expertise in comparative politics and international relations.

Professor Shelef's research centers on nationalism, territorial conflict, and religion's role in politics, with specialized focus on Israeli society and Middle Eastern dynamics. His work examines how homelands evolve, conditions for religious party moderation, and nationalist demobilization processes. Current projects analyze pandemic military responses and shifting territorial disputes, demonstrating consistent engagement with pressing geopolitical questions through historical and contemporary lenses.

His publication trajectory reveals deepening specialization in territorial sovereignty, evolving from early studies of Revisionist Zionism to contemporary analyses of international recognition's impact on conflict resolution. The 2020 book Homelands: Shifting Borders and Territorial Disputes synthesizes two decades of research on border fluidity, while recent Journal of Conflict Resolution articles explore pandemic militarization consequences.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Honored Instructor Award (2016-2017)
• Honored Instructor Award from UW University Housing (2012-2013)

As an educator, Shelef mentors students through graduate seminars on spatial econometrics and international relations workshops while teaching undergraduate courses including Israeli Politics, Arab-Israeli Conflict, and Nationalism studies. His leadership as Department Chair demonstrates institutional commitment beyond research excellence.

Through the Center for Jewish Studies and Middle East Studies Program, he cultivates collaborative research environments examining religious nationalism and territorial disputes, positioning Wisconsin as a hub for critical Middle Eastern scholarship.