ICSA Statement regarding the violence in Israel and Gaza

As a scholarly society devoted to the study of intentional communities, the International Communal Studies Association and its board are deeply saddened and outraged by the terrorist attacks perpetrated against kibbutz communities in Israel on October 7.    Kibbutz members were among the founders of our organization and continue to provide vital support, so we share a special grief for the suffering of those affected by these attacks, especially the family of the hundreds of kibbutz residents who were killed or abducted. We mourn for all of the innocent Palestinians and Israelis who are suffering in the ongoing war, and for victims of violence everywhere. Intentional communities can help end violence by modeling cooperation and building bridges across ethnic and religious divides. As we grieve with and for our communitarian friends, we pledge to use our scholarly endeavors to build enduring peace.

ICSA Webinar Series

ICSA has embarked on a series of webinars to take place before the next face-to-face Conference in the summer of 2026.

The first five webinars took place in September, 2024, February, May and July 2025. The next Webinars are scheduled for the fall of 2025.

We’re especially excited to invite you to view recordings of all of our webinars free of charge. You can find the recordings here

The International Communal Studies Association (ICSA) is currently hard at work planning our next in-person conference due to take place in Lebensgarten, Germany from the 9th-11th July, 2026

Important Dates:

Pre-conference tour: July 6-7, 2026

Taste of Lebensgarten: July 8, 2026

Conference: July 9-11, 2026

Post-Conference tour: July 12, 2026


*The pre-post conference tours will be in the surrounding areas to Lebensgarten

The CALL FOR PAPERS is now live. Please keep checking back for REGISTRATION

More about our last in-person ICSA Conference that took place in Denmark, July 14-16, 2022 

 

A conference for the community curious and committed scholar alike.

 

Our Mission

ICSA’s mission is to support the scholarly exchange of information regarding communal life — communes, intentional communities, kibbutzim and other collective communities throughout the world.

 
 

Kibbutz Research Institutes

ICSA is grateful for the financial support of the following Kibbutz Institutes: