Lecture #11: Israeli Identity Politics

Michael Schulz

Please see powerpoint entitled, "Israeli ID politicsRS2235 vt10.ppt" at http://kursportal.student.gu.se/inst/S2GLS%7C_%7CNONE/RS2235/filuppladdning/browse2.php?dir=Kursmoment%2FLecture+notes+and+ppt

Here are my notes:

Opening Note
- Isabell discussed Israeli identity politics during her previous lecture so we will approach the topic from a slightly different angle by discussing ethnic identity and Israeli national identity. In other words, today we will discuss Israeli society.

- In 1996, I (Schulz) wrote my dissertation on Israeli national identity and ethnic identity and the interlinkages between the two concepts.

What is ethnic identity?
- Ethnicity is a difficult concept to define.
¤ There are many schools of thought.
¤ Currently, the constructivist school of thought is dominant.

- What are the different schools of thought?
¤ Primordialist (Essentialist)- ethnic identity is given by biology or birth; this school of thought refers to an objective criteria; this school of thought is called into question by biological data that suggests we are all very similar biologically.
¤ Intrumentalist- ethnic identity is useful for political purposes, ie. the indigenous peoples' movement; unlike primordialists, instrumentalists refer to a subjective criteria.
¤ Constructivist- ethnic identity is perceived and dependent on relationships, situations, and contexts; identity is fluid and shifting because we are constantly learning from our experiences.

What is identity?
- Identity is also a hotly constested concept.
- There are two aspects of identity that are easy to accept:
¤ There are universal human attributes.
¤ But humans are also unique individuals.

- The idea that individuals share common attributes with members of a particular group, however, is contesteted.

How are ethnic identities formed?
- Ethnic identity is a social categorization.
- The social theory that you adapt has implications for social analysis because each theory has a direct link to perceptions of identity.

Class
- This theory originated with Karl Marx.
- According to this theory, there is an overlap between class and ethnic identity.
- Societies can be racist and/or oppresive.
- The dominant ethnic/ class group dominates society at the expense of other groups.

Pluralist
- This theory was developed as a criticism of the class and melting pot theories.
- Social groups create and maintain distinct systems but live together and interact with members of other groups.
- Both class differences and integration exist.
- Integration and separation are empirical questions and change over time.

Melting-Pot
- This theory was formulated in the 1950s.
- Ethnic identity is seen as backward/ tribal.
- National identity is modern and more desirable.

What is national identity?
- See Thomas Hylland Erikson
- Media creates a sense of national belonging even though members of a nation may never meet.
- Ethno-nationalists groups are in between ethnic groups and the nation-state.
¤ These groups possess a vision/ political ambition of a state.
¤ The state is viewed as a social project.
¤ Acceptance of a national identity implies the right to establish a state.
¤ Israelis did not accept the Palestinian national identity for decades because that acceptance would imply that Palestinians are entitled to create a state.

What is a nation-state?
- The nation-state is:
¤ territorially defined, and
¤ has a monopoly over the legitimate use of force, and
¤ possesses authority over a specific population, and
¤ ideally develops into a homogenous identity/ common nationality, and
¤ the constitutent population possesses certain rights, duties (military service, taxes), and benefits (material welfare).

- All of the above must be fulfilled to create a successful nation-state.

How can ethnic identity be preserved over a period of time?
- Conversely, why do identities disappear?
- What institutions maintain ethnic identity?
- In the case of Judaism, Jewish ethnic identity was maintained by the synagogue.
- In the nation-state project, some succeed and some fail.

What are the four predominant positions in Israeli society?
1. Religious Zionists
- This group increasingly attained political power after 1967/1973.

2. Religious Non- Zionistists
- Israel is satanic.
- This group is losing power in Israel.

3. Non-religious Zionists
- Members of this group perceive Israel as a Jewish nation.
- Members of this group constitute the majority of Israeli society.

4. Non-Religious Non-Zionists
- This group conceives of Israel as a civic state.
- Israeli identity does not equal Jewish identity.

(- There are three categories listed in an Israeli passport: religious, civic, and national.)

Israeli Ethnicities and Social Stratifications
- See powerpoint

- Global links also greatly influence social identity.
¤ Russian immigrants from the former Soviet Union have pushed for improved relations between Israel and Europe.

- There are differences and divisions among members of each social group.

- Today, there is a different kind of Ashkenazi dominance.

-Schulz examined 4 dimensions in his disseration:

1. identification- Israeli, Arab, Jew, etc.

2. amalgamation- friendship and marriage patterns; social and biological intereactions

3. acculturation- feelings and sense of common identity and feelings and sense of belonging to s sib-identity; support for the political system and Israeli culture

4. socioeconomic and political issues- how are key political positions allocated among different groups; what are the perceived class/ethnic differences

- When asked about Israeli society, the most dominant answers were that it should be a mixed society or that the current social arrangement is the best arrangement.
¤ The first answer is evidence of some tolerance for difference in Israeli society.

- When Schulz conducted his research, he found that there were class differences along ethnic lines.

Jews (Israelization - Judaization)
- civic secularlists (approx. 12%)
- secularists (approx. 35%)
- civic nationalists (approx. 9%)
- nationalists (approx. 30%)
- confessionalists (approx. 14%)
¤ settlers / extremists

- Over time, those of the left move more towards the left and those on the right move more towards the right.

- In other words, Israeli society is polarized.

Arabs (Israelization - Polarization)
- civic secularists (approx. 13%)
- secularists (approx. 20%)
- civic confessionalists (approx. 15%)
- Islamists (approx. 17%)
- Arab/ Palestinian nationalists (approx. 35%)

- Opinions are more narrow/ clustered among Arabs.

- When Schulz conducted his research, Arabs primarily identified themselves as Israeli-Christians, Israeli-Druze, Israeli-Muslims, etc.
¤ However, this may not be the same today.

- Many Arabs say that they believe in the current political system. That is, they accept Jewish majority rule.

- Marriage between Arabs and Jews is almost non-existent.

- Arab integration into Israeli society has increased tensions between men and women and led to an increase in divorce rates. In other words, classic hierarchical structures have been challenged.

- The Druze are the most privileged among the Arab groups while the Muslims are the least priveleged.

Conclusion
- Integration does exist even among Israeli Arabs.
- Melting exists but is not, necessarily, conducted according to the melting pot theory.
- However, there are socioeconomic gaps along ethnic lines.
- Also, group identitifications shift all the time.
- Among Jews, in times of peace, Israelization prevails while in time of conflict, Jewishization prevails.