Ben, a political and cultural sociologist, is the academic director of the Challenge of Living Together cluster at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, in conjunction with the Shaharit institute. His research areas include political violence and conflicts, deep cultural diversity, social movements, and the sociology of knowledge. He is also a research fellow of the Minerva Center for the Rule of Law under Extreme Conditions, at the University of Haifa, and he is a consultant and researcher in areas of policy and strategy for public groups.