Harvey Hames

Harvey Hames is a Professor in the Department of General History at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), currently serving as Rector since 2018. His academic career spans roles including Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (2016-2018) and department chair (2011-2015). He established the Center for the Study of Conversion and Inter-Religious Encounters (2013) under the I-CORE initiative, a significant hub for interdisciplinary research.

• Education: PhD in Medieval History (1996), Cambridge University

His research focuses on Medieval and Renaissance religious interactions, particularly Jewish-Christian-Muslim dynamics. Key areas include Kabbalah and Christian mysticism, apocalyptic movements, inter-religious polemics, and Bible/Talmud translations. His work challenges assumptions about pre-Renaissance Christian engagement with Jewish mysticism, exemplified by his studies on Ramon Llull.

Recent publications analyze semantic change methodologies (2018) and medieval conversion narratives. He has guest-edited major journals like Mediterranean Historical Review and co-edited volumes on Latin-into-Hebrew knowledge transfer, emphasizing the underappreciated Christian-Jewish intellectual exchange in medieval Europe.

Scientific Awards:
• 2014 David Berg and Family Chair in European History (BGU)
• 2013 I-CORE Center for Conversion and Inter-Religious Encounters
• 2006 Magister of Maiorcensis Schola Lullistica
• 2003 Clare Hall (Cambridge) Life Membership
• 2002 Samuel Toledano Prize

His advising and grant work include leading the I-CORE program (2013), which received Israel Science Foundation funding (grant 1754/12). He has also contributed to academic discourse through editorial roles and collaborations with institutions like Brill and SUNY Press.