"So much scholarly work on Israel has taken its cue from David Ben-Gurion s ideology of mamlahtiut, which privileges the state as the site of initiative and change. Elisabeth Marteu has performed an important service in bringing together these outstanding pieces of research, which take the contrary point of view: that the vitality of Israel and its path to the future lie in its vibrant social groups. These civil organizations, the volume shows, have mobilized along a broad spectrum, from anarchists to Orthodox settlers, to battle over Israel s identity and its response to the ongoing conflict with the Palestinians in the 21st century." - Joel Migdal, Professor of International Studies, University of Washington"This volume showcases some of the latest and most interesting research on how a range of sociopolitical forces in Israel have mobilized around issues relating to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Focusing on the Jewish settlers' movement, the struggles of Palestinian citizens of Israel, and Israeli-Jewish peace and anti-occupation movements, the contributors offer empirically rich and theoretically sophisticated analyses that contribute to the development of social movement theory and are required reading for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the contemporary dynamics and future trajectory of this conflict." - Zachary Lockman, Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies and History, New York University, author of Contending Visions of the MiddleEast: the History and Politics of Orientalism"Israeli politics can be common knowledge for whoever reads newspapers or watches television. Israel s internal divisions, grassroots movements, and organizations, are much less reported in the international media. Whoever wishes to know Israel from within its society and not just through the politics of its leaders must read this collection edited by Elizabeth Marteu. After reading it Israeli society will have a different flavor." - Michael Warschawski, director of the Alternative Information Center in Jerusalem
