Talk
A Status Quo between Increasing Immobility and Scattered Protests: Heterogeneities and Asymmetries within Israeli Grassroots Activism
Giulia Daniele (Daniele, G.);
Event Title
Bi-annaul PACSA Conference
Year (definitive publication)
2015
Language
English
Country
Germany
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Abstract
This paper is based on the preliminary outcome of my current research project dealing with the analysis of several forms of Israeli grassroots socio-political protests rising to prominence in the most recent years, which have experienced different kinds of cleavages. In particular, I look at the heterogeneities existing within Israeli social and political grassroots movements, with a focus on the documenting of their internal relationships, tensions and challenges in a context of deep-seated boundaries. In relation to the main topics that will be discussed during the conference, I suggest the heterogeneity of Israeli grassroots activism and the role of this activism within their society can be considered as a challenging field of study needing to be analysed in the ongoing transformation processes in the Middle East. In detail, I recognise the importance of understanding the variety of fissures within such studies, using conflicting perspectives based on class, ethnicity, nationality, gender and age, by means of the intersectionality approach. By tackling the predominant narrative addressing grassroots activism in terms of a single and homogeneous platform, I argue that the Israeli peace-oriented movement as well as other examples of grassroots socio-political activism have gone through divisions of ethnicity, nationality, gender and class. Although I am aware of the wide-ranging sense of disillusionment in the struggle towards Israeli-Palestinian conflict resolution strategies, and its consequent status of immobility since 2000, questioning asymmetries of power and privileges among the different components of such types of activism could lead both scholars and activists to seriously rethink the closer connection of their analytical approaches along with their political practices.
Acknowledgements
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Keywords