The Pen And The Sword: Israeli Intellectuals And The Making Of The Nation-state

by Michael Keren

Overview

This book details on the important segment of Jewish society, focusing on the role of intellectuals in the formation and growth of the state of Israel. It examines the relationship between Israeli intellectuals and their state as a case study.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367294700
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	05/07/2019
Pages:	120
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Intellectuals and the State — The Origins of Jewish Nationalism — Encounter with the New State — The Challenge of War — The Critical Balance

Editorial Reviews

Jewish intellectuals helped define the political, spiritual and cultural parameters of Zionism. Yet Israel's intelligentsia became articulate critics of the new state, challenging the application of messianic ideals to politics. This transformation is the theme of a thoughtful, lucid study by Keren, political scientist at Tel Aviv University. He shows how Israeli writers took up modernist trends from surrealist to absurdist; how a new generation of teachers challenged bureaucratic control of education. For Keren, the Six Day War of 1967 was a turning point, after which Israeli thinkers increasingly accepted nationalist assumptions uncritically and helped reinforce the status quo. Still, he argues, some intellectuals have resumed an actively critical role, spurred by the Begin government's 1982 invasion of Lebanon, a move they condemned as unethical and megalomaniacal. (Sept.)

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