Dr. Michal Kofman is an associate professor of sociology whose research examines the relationship between conflict, collective memory, and nation‑building. She holds a BA and MA in Sociology from the University of Haifa and a PhD in Sociology from the University of Calgary. Her past work has explored state–citizen relations, socialist moral projects, and civil society in contemporary Cuba, as well as conflict resolution and labor movements in pre‑state Israel/Palestine.

Her current research includes a new project on the Oct 7 hostages, investigating how experiences of captivity, public discourse, and competing narratives of trauma, memory, and symbolism shape national, communal, and political identities. This emerging work builds on her longstanding interest in how societies use stories of suffering and resistance to define belonging and moral community.

More broadly, Dr. Kofman’s scholarship engages with questions of homeland, immigration, and political dissent. She teaches a wide range of courses, including Introduction to Sociology, Social Problems, Social Theory, Social Statistics, Social Stratification, Religion and Labor, and Political Sociology.