Recent Activities

Selected Recent Activities

Summer 2022, Aarhus, De

Since May 2024:

  1. Council on Foreign Relations, Global Affairs Expert Webinar, “Global Trade Policy.”  Attended. November 20, 2024. (Webinar with Q&A.)
  2. Center for Teaching Excellence workshop, “Creating Connections with Students Online.” University of Florida.  Attended.  November 20, 2024. (Online.)
  3. Nazarian Center for Israel Studies Event. University of California, Los Angeles.  Attended.  November 14, 2024. (Webinar with Q&A.)
  4. Center for Teaching Excellence workshop, “Scaling Up Your Favorite Teaching Strategies.” University of Florida.  Attended.  November 14, 2024. (Online.)
  5. Council on Foreign Relations, “Nuclear Arms Control and Disarmament.”  Attended.  November 13, 2024. (Webinar with Q&A.)
  6. Center for Teaching Excellence workshop, “AI: Writing an AI Policy for Your Courses.” University of Florida.  Attended.  November 13, 2024. (Online.)
  7. Submitted a revised article to a major journal.
  8. “Opinion – Habitus and the 2024 US Presidential Election.” E-International Relations / Articles. November 10, 2024.
  9. Center for Teaching Excellence Seminar, “Insights from GatorEvals.” Attended. University of Florida. November 4, 2024. (Online.)
  10. Submitted a revised article to a major thematic journal. (Unsubmitted.)
  11. Center for Teaching Excellence Seminar, “Create Presentation Visuals Worthy of the TED Stage.”  Attended.  University of Florida. October 30, 2024. (Online.)
  12. Professor Thomas Patterson webinar, ““Harris, Not Biden – How the Change in the Democratic Nominee Altered the 2024 Race.” Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Attended.  October 28, 2024. (Hybrid webinar lecture with live Q&A.)
  13. Member of a graduate student qualifying exam committee (doctoral),  October 28, 2024.
  14. Nazarian Center for Israel Studies Event, “Coca-Cola, Black Panthers, and Phantom Jets: Israel in the American Orbit, 1967-73.” University of California, Los Angeles. Attended. October 24. 2024. (Webinar.)
  15. Submitted an article to two major disciplinary journals (political science, and political sociology). Unsubmitted.  Revising to submit again.  October 20, 21, 22nd, 2024.
  16. Center for Teaching Excellence Event, “Increasing Engagement in High Enrollment Courses.” University of Florida. Seminar. Attended. October 16, 2024. (Online seminar with participation.)
  17. Social Science Research Council. 2024 Katznelson Fellow Lecture: “The Economist as Plumber.” Attended. Thursday, October 10, 2024. (Webinar.)
  18. “Opinion – On Gerontology.”  In E-International Relations / Articles. October 10, 2024.
  19. Council on Foreign Relations. “Technology and Electoral Dynamics 2024.”  A panel.  Attended.  Wednesday, October 2, 2024.  (Webinar with Q&A.)
  20. Member of a graduate student qualifying exam committee (doctoral), September 20, 2024.
  21. Foreign Service Information Session. A panel.  Attended.  U.S. Department of State.  Wednesday, September 18, 2024. (Webinar.)
  22. Member, Infrastructure Council, Faculty Senate, UF, Member, 2022-2025.
  23. Chair of a panel on ritual, culture, and ethnography for the European Association for the Study of Religions. Göteborg, Sweden. Tuesday, August 20, 2024.
  24. “Perspectival Politics: Religion, Culture, and Ritual Politics in Two Asian Films,” by Patricia Sohn. A paper presented to the European Association for the Study of Religions. Göteborg, Sweden. Tuesday, August 20, 2024.
  25. Faculty Advisor, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences — CLAS Research Fellow (undergraduate), Academic Year 2024-2025.
  26. A graduate student under my advisement published an article, “Why Late-Development Breeds Authoritarianism” by Anqi Yang, E-International Relations / Articles, July 5, 2025.
  27. An advanced undergraduate student under my advisement presented a paper based upon his senior thesis research at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Nazarian Center for Israel Studies Conference: 6th Annual Undergraduate Scholars Conference.  June 17, 2024.  (Online.)
  28. Social Science Research Council. “Religion and the Future of Democracy.” A panel. Attended. Thursday, May 23, 2024.  (Webinar.)

Previous Years:

  1. Attended several faculty workshops on Martin Buber (more information available), organized in Europe.  Fall 2022 – Spring 2023. (Online.)
  2. Spoke regarding, “Historical Context: The War in Gaza and Israel,” and was a faculty facilitator for the “Policy Over Pastries Program: Israel and Gaza.”  Bob Graham Center, University of Florida, September 7, 2023.
  3. Department of Political Science, Leadership Council Staff member, December 2023.
  4. Chair, Department Curriculum Committee, 2023-2024.
  5. Panelist on a faculty roundtable to The Office of Asian Pacific Islander Desi Student Engagement’s FIND Workshop, sponsored by the Center for Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement, University of Florida, Saturday, August 19. 2023, Turlington Hall.
  6. Visiting Scholar, Dipartimento di Civiltà e Forme del Sapere, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy, May 12 to August 8, 2023.
  7. “Fault Lines: The Women’s Movement, Orthodoxy, and The Secular State in Israel” talk presented to the International Program in the Humanities and the Department of Religion, University of Pisa, July 14, 2023.
  8. Simultaneously published:  “Religion and Secularism in Turkey, and The Turkish Elections” By Patricia Sohn, Shadi Heidarifar, and Sydney Polanin in E-International Relations, May 26, 2023; and, “Religion and Secularism in Turkey and the Turkish Elections” By Patricia Sohn, Shadi Heidarifar, and Sydney Polanin in Culturico.com, May 26, 2023.
  9. “Inclusiveness, Pedagogy, Identity, Ideology, and the Epistemology of the Professor” By Patricia Sohn in E-International Relations, May 13, 2023.
  10. Organized and moderated talk by international visiting speaker, Professor Carlotta Ferrara degli Uberti, University of Pisa, Italy. “Italian Jewry and the Risorgimento.” Center for Jewish Studies, University of Florida. February 21, 2021.  (Webinar.)
  11. Alternate, Fulbright-Schuman Award, March 2023 (not awarded).
  12. Chair, Curriculum Committee, Department of Political Science, 2013 – 2023, excluding Spring 2015.
  13. Simone Raudino and Patricia Sohn, eds.Beyond the Death of God: Religion in 21st Century International Politics. University of Michigan Press, May 2022.
  14. Academic Policy Council, Faculty Senate, UF, Replacement Member, 2022-2023.
  15. Undergraduate Coordinator, Center for Jewish Studies, 2021 – 2023.
  16. National Screening Committee, U.S. Fulbright Foundation, Autumn 2022.
  17. Visiting Scholar, Dipartimento di Civiltà e Forme del Sapere, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy, Summer, 2022.
  18. Faculty Senator, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Florida, 2006–2007, 2015–2018, 2019–2022.
  19. Patricia Sohn and Simone Raudino, “Editors’ Introduction: Religion and Politics” in Beyond the Death of God: Religion in 21st Century International Politics, edited by Simone Raudino and Patricia Sohn. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 2022.
    16. 2022.
  20. Patricia Sohn, “Global Trends in Religion and State: Secular Law and Freedom of Religion in Israel” in Beyond the Death of God: Religion in 21st Century International Politics, edited by Simone Raudino and Patricia Sohn. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 2022.
    17. 2022
  21. Simone Raudino and Patricia Sohn, “Beyond the Death of God” presented to the European Association for the Study of Religion, Pisa, Italy, August/September 2021.
  22. Patricia Sohn, “The Color of Institutions: Unity, Morality, or Decay? A Personal Reflection” in E–International Relations: Articles, June 22, 2022.
  23. Organized and moderated talk by international visiting speaker, Professor Emerita Henriette Dahan Kalev, Ben-Gurion University, Israel. “Debates in Israeli Feminism: A Conversation with Henriette Dahan-Kalev, Ben-Gurion University.” October 7, 2021. (Webinar.)
  24. Patricia Sohn, “Theatres of Difference: The Film ‘Hair’, Otherness, Alterity, Subjectivity and Lessons for Identity Politics” inE–International Relations: Articles, September 28, 2021
  25. Organized and moderated talk by international visiting speaker, Dr. Simone Raudino, European Commission and Kyiv School of Economics. “The Financialization of the Official Development Assistance Industry.” Sponsored by Department of Political Science, UF International Center, and Department of Economics, University of Florida. April 28. 2021.  (Online.)
  26. “The Geopolitics of Religious Moderation in the Middle East and North Africa.” Berkeley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, Georgetown University.  Mar 24, 2021.  Attended.  (Webinar.)
  27. Organized and moderated talk by international visiting speaker, Professor Emeritus Menachem Hofnung, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. “Public Trust in Israel’s Judiciary: The Effect of Political Polarization.” Center for Jewish Studies, University of Florida. February 21, 2021.  (Webinar.)
  28. “The Secular in Middle East and Islamicate History.” McGill University. Thursday, November 26, 2020. (Hybrid with questions.)
  29. “Geopolitical Implications of COVID-19 for the Middle East.” Center for Near Eastern Studies. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), A panel. Attended. Wednesday, May 27, 2020. (Webinar.)
  30. “Policing Citizens: Minority Policy in Israel.”  Nazarian Center for Israel Studies, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).  Attended. Wednesday, May 20, 2020.  (Webinar.)
  31. Chair, Academic Policy Council, University of Florida, 2018–2019.
  32. Member, Senate Steering Committee, University of Florida, 2018–2019.
  33. Curator of the Blog, “Subaltern States” for E–International Relations(http://e–ir.info), an online political science magazine with over 5 million annual visitors/readers, 2016 to 2019; four dozen blog pieces by Patricia Sohn, plus more than half a dozen contributing pieces curated from the U.S. and abroad.  Now listed as Articles onE–International Relations.
  34. Patricia Sohn and Esther Carmel–Hakim, “Palestinian and Jewish Women’s Peace and Interfaith Coexistence: From Formal Workshops to Cooking Kitchens” to be presented to the Mid–West Political Science Association, Chicago, IL, April 2019.
  35. “Human Rights in Israel” presented to the conference, Jewish History and Culture: New Insights from Florida Scholars, part of the Gimelstob Symposium in Judaic Studies, organized by Frederick Greenspahn, Florida Atlantic University, January 28–29, 2018.
  36. Patricia J. Woods, “Fault Lines” inThe Cambridge Companion to Judaism and Law (Cambridge Companions to Religion Series), edited by Christine Hayes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press., 2017.
  37. “Convenor” (organizer) and Co–Discussant, panel, “Religion and Law,” organized for the Research Committee (RC09) on Comparative Judicial Studies, International Political Science Association, Poznan, Poland, July 2016.
  38. Recognized by the U.S. Department of StateBureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs andthe J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board for three years of service on the Fulbright National Screening Committee for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, March 2016.
  39. Kent F. Schull, M. Safa Saraçoğlu, and Robert Zens, eds. Law and Legality in the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Turkey. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2016. Journal of Islamic and Muslim Studies 1:1 (May) 83–88.http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2979/jims.1.1.08 Reviewed by Patricia J.
    Woods [Sohn], 2016.
  40. “Religion and State Through the Lens of Jewish Law in Israel” presented to the pre–organized panel, Religion and Law, Research Committee (RC09) on Comparative Judicial Studies, International Political Science Association, Poznan, Poland, July 2016.
  41. Col. Dr. Haluk Karadağ and Patricia J. Woods, “Rights or Riots: Regional Institutional and Cultural Legacies in the MENA Region, and the Case of Turkey” presented to the Congress Session on Political Institutions and Civic Engagement’s panel on Content and Discontent With Government in an Unequal World, International Political Science Association, Poznan, Poland, July 2016.
  42. Patricia J. Woods, “The Women’s Movement: Mobilization and the State” inContemporary Israel: New Insights and Scholarship (Jewish Studies in the Twenty–First Century Series), edited by Frederick Greenspahn. New York University Press, 2016.
  43. “Conflicting Visions: The Women’s Movement and State Religious Authorities in Israel” presented to the Fifth International Conference on Religion and Spirituality in Society, University of California–Berkeley, April 2015.
  44. “New Constituencies, Independent Judiciaries? The Debates over State-Sanctioned Religious Law in Israel” presented to the Robbins Collection workshop, University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, Implementing Religious Law in Contemporary Nation-States: Definitions and Challenges, February 2014.
  45. Organized and moderated talk by international visiting speaker, Dr. Mu’taz al-Khatib, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar. “Religion, Media, and Socio-Political Change: The Case of ‘Islam and Daily Life’ Program.” October 8, 2014. 6:15 p.m., Weimer Hall.
  46. Organized and moderated talk by international visiting speaker, Professor Eva Etzioni-Halevy, Bar Ilan University. “From Generation to Generation: The Growing Split Between Secular and Religious Jews in Israel.” Monday, March 31, 2008, 7:30 p.m. at Hillel.
  47. Organized and moderated talk by international visiting speaker, Professor Menachem Hofnung, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “The Middle East After the Israeli Elections.” Thursday, April 3, 2003. 7:30 p.m. Reitz Union, Room 282.
  48. Organized and moderated talk by international visiting speaker, Professor Gad Barzilai, University of Washington and University of Haifa. “Communities, Law, and Politics of Rights: Israel and other Nation States Revisited.” Wednesday April 6, 2005. 7:30 p,m. Reitz Union, Room 282.
  49. Organized and moderated talk by visiting speaker, Joel Migdal, University of Washington. “What Went Right and What Went Wrong in the Palestinian-Israeli Peace Process,” evening address (300 attending), Reitz Union, November 2002
  50. Organized and moderated talk by visiting speaker, Professor Michael McCann, University of Washington. “Hegemonic Tales and Everyday News: The Social Production of Legal Lore.” April 11, 2002. 2 p.m. Anderson Hall 216.

Visiting Speaker events organized, funds gathered from co-Sponsors (13 total, 4 online*) (in addition to chairmanship of and membership in the Departmental Visiting Speakers Committee and Coordinator of Department Research Seminar for several combined years):

Professor Carlotta Ferrara degli Umberti* (2023); Professor Emeritus Menachem Hofnung (2021*, also visiting year 2002-2003, and 2003 event); Professor Emerita Henriette Dahan-Kalev* (2021); Dr. Simone Raudino* (2021); Dr. Mu’taz al-Khatib (2014); Professor Eva Etzioni-Halevy (2008); Professor Joel Migdal (2012, 2002); Professor Gad Barzilai (2005); Professor Michael McCann (2002); Dr. Keren Weinshall-Margel (2010).  In-person visitors gave multiple talks and/or had multiple meetings.

Exceptional Classroom Activities or Teaching Awards:

  1. CPO 6407 Politics of the Modern Middle East (Fall 2021, Course No. 26276). Organized 7 guest speaker experts of renown from the U.S. and international contexts; most were authors of assigned books for the course. (Zoom 30-60 minutes including Q&A with graduate students; most went for around 40 minutes.) (Organized without funding.)
  2. Anderson/College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Scholar/Faculty Honoree for outstanding teaching, 2006-2007.
  3. Anderson/College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Scholar/Faculty Honoree for outstanding teaching, 2001-2002.

Selected Outreach Activities (AY 2001-2002):

  1. University-wide forum on September 11. “Attack on America: A Response from Four Perspectives.” Memorial Auditorium, September 25, 2001. Panel presided over by the Vice-Provost of UF.  Gainesville Sun reported 600 attending.
  2. UF Honors Program Monthly Colloquium Series, October 23, 2001. Approximately 24 attending.
  3. Roundtable for undergraduate students in Political Science, Anderson Hall, November 13, 2001. Approximately 25 attending.
  4. Community Coalition Against War and Terrorism, Little Hall, November 14, 2001. Panel talk, approximately 200 attending.
  5. University of Florida Association of Retired Faculty, December 5, 2001, talk on the Arab-Israeli Conflict to approximately 85 retired faculty.
  6. Marston Science Library talk to UF Librarians on the Arab-Israeli Conflict, Febrary 20, 2002, approximately 35 attending.
  7. University-wide forum, follow-up from September 25th panel, on the Middle East responses to the current situation between the U.S. and Afghanistan. March 15, 2002, 85 attending.

Selected Department Service (2001-2002):

  1. Department Scribe – maintain minutes/historical record from faculty meetings
  2. Graduate Program Committee – contributed to the development of recommendations for changes in the Ph.D. program (exam structure, course requirements, etc.)
  3. Internationalization Committee – contributed to the development of a questionnaire to determine faculty involvement in international scholarly activities; contributed language for answers to several of the college questions on its questionnaire regarding departmental involvement in international scholarly activity
  4. Undergraduate Advisor (secondary)

Sample Courses (2002, paid research leave Spring 2003):

  1. POS 4931 (3726)  T4  R 4-5  AND 34  (19C) POL. OF MIDDLE EAST / WOODS [Sohn].  The subtitle of the course is “People and Politics.”  The course examines key movements and institutions through which people and politics intersect in the Middle East in the 19th and 20th centuries, including (Pan-)Arabism, nation-state nationalism, feminism, religion and law, and religious resurgence. States from North Africa to Pakistan will be addressed. A question underlying the course will be the extent to which these social and political changes in the Middle East have resulted from external influences or internal debates within the region.
  2. POS 4931 (3738) T 7 R 7-8 AND 34  (19B) ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT / WOODS [Sohn].  This course examines the evolution of conflict between Arabs and Jews from the 19th century through the 20th century, including attention to Zionism, nationalism in the Ottoman Empire and Arab world, state-building, and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through the 1990s.  Most attention in the course will be on the period from 1919 – 1990.  The course will use both analytical texts and personal accounts to allow the student to understand the political development of the conflict, as well as how people on the ground experience it and why it matters to them.
  3. POS 6933 (3220)  W 7-9 MAT 118  (18A) LAW,ST&SOC.COMP.PERSP / WOODS [Sohn].

Sample Courses (Fall 2001):

  1. POS 4931 / JST 3930  Politics of the Middle East / Woods [Sohn]
  2. POS 4931 / JST 3930  Arab-Israeli Conflict / Woods [Sohn]

Selected Invited Talks (all in-person):

  1. “New Constituencies, Independent Judiciaries? The Debates over State-Sanctioned Religious Law in Israel,” presented to the Robbins Collection Workshop, University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law. “Implementing Religious Law in Contemporary Nation-States: Definitions and Challenges.”
    February 2, 2014.
  2. “Why Do Women Join?: Elite versus Volunteer Narratives in the Israeli Women’s Movement,” invited presentation, Center for Women’s Studies Gender Conversations Series, University of Florida. February 23, 2005.
  3. “Religious Authorities and the Secular State in Israel,” invited evening presentation, Center for Jewish Studies and the Department of Political Science, University of Miami. February 14, 2005.
  4. “The Battle for the Soul of the Jewish State,” invited presentation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Political Science and Center for Jewish Studies. February 2, 2005.
  5. “Legal Norms, Political Change, and Judicial Community,” invited presentation, Group d’Analyse des Politiques Publiques, Ecole Normale Supérieur de Cachan, Cachan, France. May 19, 2004 (presented in English, fielded questions in French and English).
  6. “Courting the Court: A Small Women’s Movement, the Judicial Community, and the Battle for the Soul of the Jewish State,” invited talk, Program in Judaic Studies, Princeton University. February 14, 2003.
  7. “Conflicting Visions: Social Movements and the Religious Law Conflict in Israel,” invited presentation, The Middle East Forum, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University. October 14, 2003.
  8. “Tracing Micro-Processes: Formal and Informal Interactions within the Judicial Community in Israel,” invited presentation, The Sawyer Seminar in Comparative Politics, Department of Government, and Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University. April 23, 2003.

For recent undergraduate and graduate student achievements, please see: https://people.clas.ufl.edu/pjsohn/student-awards-and-announcements/