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Portrait of Walid Khalidi

Photo: SOAS University of London, edited by User:Jossi2 · CC0

Walid Khalidi

Renowned Scholar, Historian, Political Scientist

Born
16 July 1925
Born in
Jerusalem, Mandatory Palestine
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Why Walid is here

Pioneering contributions to Palestinian historical scholarship and analysis of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Their story

Walid Khalidi (1925–2026) was born in Jerusalem to one of its oldest families. He taught at Oxford, resigning in 1956 in protest at the Suez invasion, and then at the American University of Beirut, Harvard and Princeton.

In 1963 he co-founded the Institute for Palestine Studies, which he led for more than fifty years. His books, especially All That Remains, a record of the hundreds of Palestinian villages destroyed in 1948, and Before Their Diaspora, gave the Nakba a documented history.

Milestones

The moments that shaped Walid’s path.

  1. 1963

    Co-founding the Institute for Palestine Studies

    Established in Beirut as an independent research center.

  2. 1982

    Professorship at the American University of Beirut

    Taught Political Studies, shaping generations of students.

  3. 1982-1996

    Senior Research Associate at Harvard University

    Contributed to Middle Eastern studies.

  4. 1994

    Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

    Recognition of his scholarly contributions.

  5. Extensive Publishing Career

    Authored significant works like "Before Their Diaspora" and "All That Remains".

Legacy

What they built, changed and left behind.

  1. Authorship of "Before Their Diaspora"

    A photographic essay on Palestinian society prior to 1948.

  2. Editing "All That Remains"

    An encyclopedic collection of village histories.

  3. Influential Scholarship

    His work has shaped Palestinian and Arab reactions to the loss of Palestine.

  4. Institutional Development

    His role in founding and leading key research and academic institutions.

  5. Diplomatic Contributions

    Actively participated in shaping discussions and understandings about the Middle East and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

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