Communicating Security : Civil-Military Relations in Israel

This book analyzes the changes and tendencies expressed in the relation between army and society in Israel.

Since its inception, Israel has been defined as a nation in arms, a public space in which the security needs became central and, to a great extent, dictated the agenda and functioning of all the public arenas operating in it. The theoretical investigation is accompanied by case study illustrations of special instances related to the nexus between:

• security and society
• security and politics
• the army and the media
• the army and public relations
• security and culture
• bereavement and commemoration
• social motivation to serve in the army
• the army and foreign policy.

Lebel explores the connection between the military and culture in Israel against the backdrop of globalization, individualism, liberalism, and social burn-out in the face of survival and change.

Udi Lebel is a lecturer and researcher at the Ben Gurion Research Institute at Sde Boker, Ben Gurion University of the negev and at Sapir College.