The International Communal Studies Association is a multidisciplinary organization providing a common framework for scholarly exchange regarding communes, intentional communities, collective settlements and kibbutz throughout the world. The ICSA functions as a clearinghouse for research projects, encourages comparative studies, and maintains a list of communal organizations and individuals active in communal and kibbutz research. The Association holds international and local conferences and publishes a biannual bulletin. The Association stemmed from an initiative to combine scholars of communal studies with colleagues specializing in kibbutz studies. The dialogue began with the first International Conference held at Yad Tabenkin, Israel in May 1985. Since that time International Conferences have been held in New Lanark and Edinburgh, Scotland (1988), Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA., USA (1991), New Harmony, Indiana, USA (1993), Yad Tabenkin, Ramat Efal, Israel (1995), Amsterdam, The Netherlands (1998), ZEGG, Belzig, Germany (2001), The Amana Colonies, Iowa, USA (2004), Damanhur, Italy (2007).

The next conference will be held at Emek Yezreel College, Israel on 28-30 June 2010.

ICSA President:

Professor Michal Palgi, Israel

Board of Directors

Administration: Ruth Sobol, Yad Tabenkin

Israeli Steering Committee

Prof. Yaacov Oved, Yad Tabenkin
Itzchak Gershon, Yad Tabenkin
Dr. Shlomo Getz, Kibbutz Research Institute, Haifa University
Dr. Arza Avrahami, Seminar Oranim, Haifa University
Dr. Michal Palgi, ICSA President
Anton Marks, International Communes Desk
Dr. Ehud Satt, Ruppin Institute
Dr. Shlomo Shaltiel, Yad Yaari, Givat Haviva Institute

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