Barak Kalir

Barak Kalir studied anthropology, sociology and economics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His MA studies in anthropology were carried out at the University of Chile and the University of Amsterdam from which he graduated with honour (cum laude). His PhD was obtained at the Amsterdam School of Social science Research with a dissertation entitled: Christian Aliens in the Jewish State: Undocumented Migrants from Latin America Striving for Practical National Belonging in Israel. The book explores the immigration, settlement and life-strategies of non-Jewish workers from Latin America in Israel.

Since 2003 Barak Kalir has been working as a lecturer at the International School for Humanities and Social Science (ISHSS). He has been involved in the establishment of an MA track entitled: ‘Social Theory and Public Affairs’, for which he also serves as an academic advisor. Since 2006 Barak Kalir works as a post-doctoral researcher, investigating the (il)legal immigration of Chinese workers to Israel. His project pertains to a larger research programme entitled:
Illegal but Licit: transnational flows and permissive polities in Asia. The programme sets out to explore the borders and interplay between the notions of (il)legality and (il)licitness.

Articles by Barak Kalir on transnational and illegal migration as well as on research methodology have appeared in academic journals such as International Migration and The European Journal for Social Anthropology.