Governing Israel: Chosen People, Promised Land, and Prophetic TraditionTransaction Publishers - 207 oldal Israeli politics and policymaking reflect themes long imbedded in Jewish culture. The concepts of Chosen People and Promised Land, and their meaning in Christian as well as Jewish religious traditions, assure that Israel is perpetually in the international spotlight. They also impose a sense of distinctiveness on the Israeli population. Some Israelis trumpet their country's accomplishments with unrestrained superlatives. Social critics accuse Israel of having the worst of the world's conditions. In this they reflect another trait that seems to have been inherited from the ancients: the prophetic tradition of extreme self-criticism. In reality, much of what occurs in Israel is similar to what occurs in countries that share its characteristics: democracy, western culture, and an advanced level of economic development. Such an idea may seem bizarre alongside headlines about suicide bombings and the country's aggressive defensive posture. This misses what is normal about Israel. In Israel policymakers weigh benefits and costs of various options, and generally choose something moderate, just as they do elsewhere. But this reality does not dim the rhetoric of politics, where hyperbole frequently seems more evident than rational discourse. Sharkansky discusses three central issues in Israeli public affairs: religion, national security, and social policy. He describes how policymakers relate to these issue and themes. Major problems may not be solved, but they are managed in a way that is tolerable. It is in this trait that Israel resembles other western democracies. In sum, biblical themes affect Israel's political rhetoric more than they affect the way officials actually work out their problems. Pragmatic coping with worldly realities generally overcomes emotional expressions that convey ingredients of spirituality. Ira Sharkansky, born and raised in Fall River, Massachusetts, has been professor of political science and public administration at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem since 1975. He is author of several works, including Coping with Terror: An Israeli Perspective, Politics and Policymaking: In Search of Simplicity, and The Political Economy of Israel, the latter available from Transaction. |
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... book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. All ...
... book, along with a number of other articles and books I have written along the way. The purpose of this book is to describe prominent aspects of how Israelis govern themselves. It focuses on the style of public discourse or political ...
... Book is not of one mind in its presentation of themes that seem important to modern Israel. More than a few theologians, as well as politicians and political scientists, have wrestled with its meanings, and have come up with conflicting ...
... book is the concepts of political culture and national character. We find that ancient ideas continue to affect the people whose ancestors articulated them and gave them a divine place in Holy Scripture. Yet political culture is ...
... Book is more inspiring than clear in its messages. A popular Christian interpretation is that the New Testament removes the blessings of being the Chosen People from the Jews and transfers it to the followers of Jesus. Another Christian ...
Más kiadások - Összes megtekintése
Governing Israel: Chosen People, Promised Land and Prophetic Tradition Ira Sharkansky Korlátozott előnézet - 2017 |
Governing Israel: Chosen People, Promised Land and Prophetic Tradition Ira Sharkansky Nincs elérhető előnézet - 2017 |