Bio
Lauren Cohen Fisher holds a faculty appointment in Jewish Studies at Colby College, where she teaches primarily about Israel/Palestine and Jews of the Arab World. She is also a PhD student in Educational Studies at Lesley University, where she is researching political education and how to teach about Israel/Palestine in ways that empower students. Her teaching philosophy aims to help students understand how different demographic groups in Israel/Palestine understand their relationship to power, self, systems, land, and each other.
Outside of her faculty role, Cohen Fisher serves as the Director of Jewish Student Life for the Center for Small Town Jewish Life at Colby College. She also regularly serves as an educational consultant and guest scholar for local, national, and international organizations looking to redesign their approaches to Israel/Palestine in ways that are intellectually rigorous and expansively inclusive. Her most recent publication outlines her educational approach, Critical Multi-vocality, which draws on liberal and critical frameworks to engage students with the perspectives and motivations of various stakeholders in Israel/Palestine. A seasoned facilitator and educator, Cohen has developed curricula, presented at national conferences, and trained hundreds of educators across North America. Cohen Fisher lives with their dog in the beautiful state of Maine.
Publications
- Cohen Fisher, L. “Pivoting Away from Educational Advocacy and Towards Education.” Israel Education: The Next Edge. Makom: The Jewish Agency. February 2020. 185-196.
- Cohen, L. (2026). “Critical Multivocality: A Pedagogy for Exploring Controversial Issues About Israel/Palestine in the Classroom.” Journal of Political Science Education, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/15512169.2026.2704212
- Cohen, L., Freidenreich, D., & Isaacs, R. (2024, June 30). “How a multigenerational community can transform college students into Jewish adults.” Sources Journal. https://www.sourcesjournal.org/articles/how-a-multigenerational-community-can-transform-college-students-into-jewish-adults
- Fisher, L. (2016). “Radicalization in context: Understanding and addressing the path towards violent extremism.” Harvard Journal of Middle Eastern Politics and Policy, 5, 37–42.
- Cohen, L., & Hoffman, A. (2022, September 19). “The year of better apologies.” eJewish Philanthropy. https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/the-year-of-better-apologies/
- Cohen, L. (2021, June 25). “Hillel’s inquiry-centered model for Israel education”. eJewish Philanthropy. https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/hillels-inquiry-centered-model-for-israel-education/
- Hoffman, A., Cohen, L., Berger, B., Kahn, L., Kranjec, D., & Schwartz, C. (2020, September 30). “The Kranjec Test.” eJewish Philanthropy. https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/the-kranjec-test/