Politics in Israel: Governing a Complex Society

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0199335060 ISBN 13: 9780199335060

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2016

Politics in Israel: Governing a Complex Society is the first textbook on Israel to utilize a historical-sociological approach, telling the story of Israeli politics rather than simply presenting a series of dry facts and figures. The book emphasizes six specific dimensions of the conduct of Israeli politics: the weight of historical processes, the struggle between different groups over how to define the country's identity, changing understandings of Zionism, a changing political culture, the influence of the external threat environment, and the inclusive nature of the democratic process. These themes offer students a framework to use for understanding contemporary political events within the country. Politics in Israel also includes several chapters on topics not previously addressed in competing texts, including historical conditions that led to the emergence of Zionism in Israel, the politics of the Arab minority, and interest groups and political protest.

About the Author:

Brent E. Sasley is Associate Professor of Political Science at The University of Texas at Arlington.
Harold M. Waller is Professor of Political Science at McGill University.

Review:

"When Harold Waller and Brent Sasley pondered the idea of writing Politics in Israel, they intended to create 'a text that was readable, touched on major contemporary issues and debates in Israeli politics, and did so by grounding...[the] explanation in a historical- sociological approach that emphasized the processes that led to the creation of the Israeli political system and continue to influence the conduct of Israeli politics'...It can be said, quite emphatically, that they accomplished their aims...What makes Politics in Israel so compelling and makes it so extraordinarily valuable is its meticulous descriptions of how governments rise and fall and how their varying policies emerge from attempts to wrestle with the often contradictory foreign and domestic challenges the country must meet. The analytic framework is powerful and reflects as much comfort with data as with the abstract concepts deployed by scholars to tap into values and culture."--Middle East Journal

"Politics in Israel is the best book ever written in English on the history, politics, and government of Israel. It is comprehensive and balanced, comprehensible and interesting, inclusive and wide-ranging, and informative and sweeping in its coverage. The writing is excellent, and the tools that the authors provide are invariably useful."
--Steven Spiegel, University of California, Los Angeles

"Clearly written and logically organized, Politics in Israel offers a judicious portrait of the Israeli political system. It is highly recommended for all courses on Israel at any level."
--Alan Dowty, University of Notre Dame