Jewish-israeli National Identity and Dissidence ― The Contradictions of Zionism and Resistance

This unique book provides a critical perspective on identity in questioning how Israeli Jews manage and manifest their concern for the Palestinian Other, eschewing presenting identities as concrete and, rather, examines their creation through discourse.
Zionism and the Israeli state have constructed a Jewish national identity premised on demonisation of the Other. This book explores how internal critics use alternative discourses of identity to re-imagine this Jewish-Israeli national identity, and considers how they might fail. It combines a rigorous theoretical analysis of nationalism with an engaging examination of the identifications and contradictions of eleven Jewish-Israeli individuals. Featuring, among others, high profile journalist Gideon Levy, veteran maverick Uri Davis and literary novelist Dorit Rabinyan, Attwell provides a revealing insight into national identity, political dissent, conflict and resistance.

Katie Attwell works in the Sir Walter Murdoch School of Public Policy and International Affairs at Murdoch University, Australia. She has a background as a practitioner of activism, community development and advocacy. She is interested in 'middle spaces' in social movements and discourses, and her research interests include nationalism, ethnic conflict, sex and gender, identity politics and the teaching of critical approaches to identity.