Shalhoub-Kevorkian grew up inHaifa.[2] She received a Master of Arts degree in 1989 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1994, both from Hebrew University of Jerusalem.[2] Shalhoub-Kevorkian is the Global Chair in Law at Queen Mary University of London,[1] and was until her 2024 resignation the Lawrence D. Biele Chair in Law atHebrew University of Jerusalem,[4][3] On October 22, 2024, it was announced that she would begin teaching at Princeton University as the Anthropology Department's Global South Visiting Scholar for the 2024-2025 school year.[5] On May 12, 2025, that the Program in Gender and Sexuality Studies at Princeton University awarded Shalhoub-Kevorkian the Stanley Kelley Jr. Visiting Professorship for Distinguished Teaching for the 2025-2026 academic school year.[6] Princeton University has confirmed that Shalhoub-Kevorkian's appointment as a visiting professor will conclude in July 2026.[7]
On March 12, 2024, Shalhoub-Kevorkian was suspended from the HUJI Faculty of Law following her remarks onIsrael's Channel 14 news, where she accused Israel ofgenocide in Gaza and cast doubt on reports ofsexual violence perpetrated by Hamas on October 7.[8][9] TheAmerican Anthropological Association described an earlier letter, sent by the university in December 2023, as a threat toacademic freedom and asked the university to retract.[10] Philosopher and gender studies scholarJudith Butler wrote to the university leadership in support of Shalhoub-Kevorkian. Butler argued that it was the university's right to disagree with Shalhoub-Kevorkian on herview that the 2023 Israeli attack on Gaza constitutes genocide, but that the university leaders had an "obligation as representatives of a majorresearch university to engage the debate, and to make room for an informed discussion of the matter free of threats".[11] In a letter to Hebrew University, theAssociation for Civil Rights in Israel argued that Shalhoub-Kevorkian's comments: "while contentious, are protected under the right to freedom of expression, rendering her suspension an intolerable infringement upon academic freedom and constitutional rights."[12] After Shalhoub-Kevorkian walked back her statements expressing doubts over the extent of Hamas' sexual assaults on October 7, the Hebrew University rescinded her suspension.[13]
On April 18, 2024, Shalhoub-Kevorkian was arrested following an interview, where she raised doubts aboutsexual and gender crimes committed by Hamas onOctober 7, 2023.[14][15] Police confiscated books and posters from her home and questioned her on previous academic publications. According to her lawyer, Shalhoub-Kevorkian wasstrip-searched and held in painful conditions without access to food, water, or medications, in a cold cell without adequate clothing or blankets. She was released on bail the next day after it was ruled that she did not pose a threat. More than 100 faculty members from Hebrew University published an open letter backing her and criticizing the university for not offering their support, describing the arrest as a political act againstfreedom of expression. The university later condemned the arrest, emphasizing that in a democratic country, there is no place to arrest a person for their remarks, regardless of their controversial nature. More than 250 academics at Queen Mary University of London also signed a letter in support of Shalhoub-Kevorkian and called on the university to stand by her.[16]
Minister of National SecurityItamar Ben-Gvir celebrated her arrest and in June theKnessetwhipOfir Katz introduced a proposal for a law which would terminate the careers of lecturers who expressedanti-Zionist views, which in Shalhoub-Kevorkian's case would, if approved, cancel her rights to her earned pension, savings,[dubious –discuss] and salary.[dubious –discuss][3] The move was strongly protested in June in anopen letter by a coalition of feminist scholars throughout the world.[17]
In late August 2024, Shalhoub-Kevorkian was reported to have resigned her position atHebrew University without making a public statement about the reasons for her decision.[3]
In late October 2024, several months after her resignation from Hebrew University,Princeton University announced that she was appointed as theGlobal South Visiting Professor for theAnthropology Department.[18]In May 2025, the Program in Gender and Sexuality Studies announced that they had awarded the Stanley Kelley Jr. Visiting Professorship for Distinguished Teaching to Shalhoub-Kevorkian for the 2025-2026 academic school year.[19]
At Princeton, she teaches courses in the Program inGender and Sexuality Studies, including the Spring 2025-2026 course, "Gender, Reproduction, and Genocide," which examinesgenocide throughfeminist anddecolonial frameworks with a focus onGaza.[20] The appointment and course received substantial media coverage from multiple outlets includingFox News andTurning Point USA.[21][22] Commenting on the scandal, Princeton referred Fox News Digital to a letter by its president,Christopher L. Eisgruber, about the school's commitment toacademic freedom and stated that hervisiting professor appointment is scheduled to conclude in July 2026.[23]
2016 Claire Goldberg Moses Prize for the Most Theoretically Innovative Article Published inFeminist Studies[4]
2015 Honoree of theHarvard Law School's Second Annual International Women’s Day Celebrations, organized by the Harvard Women's Law Association and Harvard Law and International Development Society[4]
