- Haifa, Haifa, Israel
Yael Yishai
University of Haifa, Politics, Emeritus
The underlying question addressed by this chapter is about the role of civil society in Israel in promoting or inhibiting democratic consolidation. The answer is based on three parameters: (a) mobilization, meaning the volume and... more
The underlying question addressed by this chapter is about the role of civil society in Israel in promoting or inhibiting democratic consolidation. The answer is based on three parameters: (a) mobilization, meaning the volume and substance of public participation; (b) integration, relating to civil society’s contribution to bridging social rifts; and (c) confrontation, regarding the antagonistic role of civil society. The reflection of these parameters in contemporary Israeli politics reveals a modest contribution to democracy. Mobilization is broad, but it is more ritualistic than real. Civil society does not play a significant role in enhancing tolerance and mutual respect. Challenging of the authorities is limited. It is the “bad” civil society, allied with the government coalition and mainstream ideology, that gains visibility, significance, and influence in public life.
Research Interests:
... Politics among Israeli Arabs is still based on traditional networks and families (bamila) to the detriment of the younger generation which seeks access ... The idea of secular Judaism is totally unacceptable to Kach, which regards... more
... Politics among Israeli Arabs is still based on traditional networks and families (bamila) to the detriment of the younger generation which seeks access ... The idea of secular Judaism is totally unacceptable to Kach, which regards nationalism only as an implementation of God's will. ...
Research Interests:
... Likud: Limor Livnat (4), Naomi Blumenthal (8), Tzippi Livni (18), total 19. Hadash: Tamar Gozanski (3), total 3. Shinui: Yehudit Naot (3), total 6. Yisrael B'aliya: Marina Solodkin (4), total 6. Meretz: Anat Maor (5), Zehava... more
... Likud: Limor Livnat (4), Naomi Blumenthal (8), Tzippi Livni (18), total 19. Hadash: Tamar Gozanski (3), total 3. Shinui: Yehudit Naot (3), total 6. Yisrael B'aliya: Marina Solodkin (4), total 6. Meretz: Anat Maor (5), Zehava Galon (6), Naomi Hazan (9), Husnia Gabara (10), total 10. ...
Research Interests:
Israel is a developed society according to economic measures and a developing one by virtue of its social propensities. This fact affected environmental politics in two ways: there is an “environmental crisis” caused by industrialization... more
Israel is a developed society according to economic measures and a developing one by virtue of its social propensities. This fact affected environmental politics in two ways: there is an “environmental crisis” caused by industrialization and economic growth. This crisis, however, has not induced active environmental politics prevalent in most developed societies: demands for improvements are articulated by elites rather than by attentive publics; ideologies emphasize national development which override environmental considerations; responsive capabilities are low. This pattern of politics, which is typical of developing societies, was explained by the predominance of the national goals, manifested in the structure of the economic and political institutions. A third category to the “two world” model was suggested, in order to cover the gap between developing and developed societies which may occur in the transition of the former to the latter.
Research Interests:
... The Gender Gap in Israel's 1992 Elections," in Asher Arian and Michal Shamir (eds), The Elections in Israel 1992, Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1995, p.117. 25. ... 31. Ran Goren, "Parents for Easy and... more
... The Gender Gap in Israel's 1992 Elections," in Asher Arian and Michal Shamir (eds), The Elections in Israel 1992, Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1995, p.117. 25. ... 31. Ran Goren, "Parents for Easy and Pleasant Military Service," Maariv, 23 December 1994.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Civil society in Israel evolved in three phases as a response to state strategies. In the first phase, the state, aided by a fundamental vision and disciplined political parties, adopted a strategy of active inclusion, based on... more
Civil society in Israel evolved in three phases as a response to state strategies. In the first phase, the state, aided by a fundamental vision and disciplined political parties, adopted a strategy of active inclusion, based on comprehensive mobilization of social actors. In the second phase, the state shifted to active exclusion, delegitimizing challenging groups such as the feminists and social protest movements. The Law of Associations, mandating state surveillance of groups' organization and activities, consolidated active exclusion. In the third phase, the state shifted to passive exclusion, decreasing its interference with civil society. Consequently, six developments on the social scene are discernible: a rise in the number of civic organizations, a change in the nature of civil society, a change in associations' strategies, a change in their access to decision makers, a change in their impact, and their legitimation.
Research Interests:
Civil society in Israel evolved in three phases as a response to state strategies. In the first phase, the state, aided by a fundamental vision and disciplined political parties, adopted a strategy of active inclusion, based on... more
Civil society in Israel evolved in three phases as a response to state strategies. In the first phase, the state, aided by a fundamental vision and disciplined political parties, adopted a strategy of active inclusion, based on comprehensive mobilization of social actors. In the second phase, the state shifted to active exclusion, delegitimizing challenging groups such as the feminists and social protest movements. The Law of Associations, mandating state surveillance of groups' organization and activities, consolidated active exclusion. In the third phase, the state shifted to passive exclusion, decreasing its interference with civil society. Consequently, six developments on the social scene are discernible: a rise in the number of civic organizations, a change in the nature of civil society, a change in associations' strategies, a change in their access to decision makers, a change in their impact, and their legitimation.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: German Studies, Political Science, Democratization, Political Violence and Terrorism, Social Capital, and 11 morePolitical Extremism/Radicalism/Populism, Police, Civil Society and the Public Sphere, Counter Culture, Democracy, Volunteerism, Counter terrorism, Citizenship, Civil Society, contemporary Politics, and Immigration Status & Nationality
Page 1. Public Ideas and Public Policy Abortion Politics in Four Democracies Yael Yishai The abortion issue has surfaced high on the political agenda of western democracies in the past twenty years. Interest groups have mushroomed ...
Research Interests:
... Women in Israel have faced these problems, which have affected their political organization, behavior, and identity. These will be dis-cussed in this book. ... This book is aimed at filling this lacuna by providing an analysis of the... more
... Women in Israel have faced these problems, which have affected their political organization, behavior, and identity. These will be dis-cussed in this book. ... This book is aimed at filling this lacuna by providing an analysis of the place of women in Israeli politics. ...
Research Interests:
Israel and the Politics of Jewish Identity: The Secular Religious Impasse By Asher Cohen and Bernard Susser. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000. 167p. $36.00. The Politics of Religion and the Religion of Politics: Looking at Israel By Ira Sharkansky. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, ...more
Religion has played a prominent role in Israel's history. The country was founded in 1948 with a declaration of being a Jewish state, not only a state for the Jews. This definition has been the source of two thorny problems. The first... more
Religion has played a prominent role in Israel's history. The country was founded in 1948 with a declaration of being a Jewish state, not only a state for the Jews. This definition has been the source of two thorny problems. The first involves the relations between state and religion, the second the relationship between two communities, namely, the secular majority and the religious minority. The two books under review tackle these problems in a fascinating manner. They complement each other by presenting different aspects of the intricate religious issue in Israel. They also contradict each other by offering conflicting conclusions based on historical and contemporary analysis.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The paper focuses on the impact of religious values and organizations on two issues of health policy, abortion and autopsy, both of which have been subjects of deep controversy between religious and nonreligious groups. The comparison... more
The paper focuses on the impact of religious values and organizations on two issues of health policy, abortion and autopsy, both of which have been subjects of deep controversy between religious and nonreligious groups. The comparison between the issues centers on three stages of policy making: problem formation, problem solving and decision making. Two models of influence on public policy are employed: (1) one in which political parties attempt to suppress issues, and (2) a group model which applies to a well articulated, controversial issue which is resolved by groups with direct access to decision makers. The party model is relevant to the abortion issue, which was submerged beneath the surface of the public agenda due to national-religious value orientations. The group model fits the autopsy issue, which has been a subject of controversy between the Medical Association and religious groups. Decision making on these issues was characterized by a pattern of compromise and accommod...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The paper focuses on the attempts to introduce a national health insurance system in Israel. So far all these attempts advanced through six public committees and various legislative initiatives have been futile. The major actors involved... more
The paper focuses on the attempts to introduce a national health insurance system in Israel. So far all these attempts advanced through six public committees and various legislative initiatives have been futile. The major actors involved in the process of NHI formulation are (a) the sick funds, the largest of which (KH) nearly monopolizes the health services; (b) political parties
Research Interests:
NY SURVEY of Israel's relations with the world in recent years will reveal a strange paradox. On the one hand, Israel has been successful in affecting the most significant breakthroughs in her troubled history when a peace agreement... more
NY SURVEY of Israel's relations with the world in recent years will reveal a strange paradox. On the one hand, Israel has been successful in affecting the most significant breakthroughs in her troubled history when a peace agreement with Egypt-since 1948 Israel's main ...
Research Interests:
The study of legislators and interest groups is guided by four main questions, (a) What is the linkage map in the Israeli Knesset? (b) Is there congruence between what legislators say (orientations and attitudes) and what they do... more
The study of legislators and interest groups is guided by four main questions, (a) What is the linkage map in the Israeli Knesset? (b) Is there congruence between what legislators say (orientations and attitudes) and what they do regarding their linkage with interest groups? (c) What are the factors that impinge on the creation of each type of attitudes‐behaviour nexus?
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Political Sociology, Ethnic Studies, Middle East Studies, Political Psychology, Israel Studies, and 14 moreRace and Racism, Political Science, Political Extremism/Radicalism/Populism, Stereotypes, Stereotypes and Prejudice, Lebanon, Survey Research, Syria, Middle East Politics, Ethnic Relations, Peace and Conflict Studies Terrorism and Media, Xenophobia, Ethnicity and National Identity, and Israel Palestine
Research Interests: Sociology, Anthropology, Government, Political Culture, Politics, and 13 morePublic Health, Health Policy, Israel, Social Science & Medicine, Policy making, Cross-Cultural Comparison, Political, Humans, Health Services, United States, Medical Care, Public health systems and services research, and Psychology of Power
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... were not women's disputed reproductive rights, but rather the need to fight poverty by reducing ... an open question whether 'societal engineering' can be improved by skil-ful policy-making, or ... voted be treated as... more
... were not women's disputed reproductive rights, but rather the need to fight poverty by reducing ... an open question whether 'societal engineering' can be improved by skil-ful policy-making, or ... voted be treated as though he/she had resigned from the Government (Yaacobi, 1982, p ...
Research Interests:
... The Likud fares worse than Labor, with only 13.3 percent women in its central committee, which has a total of some 3,300 members. In the party secretariat, of 30 members, the proportion of Page 12. 198 ... One exception was Tami... more
... The Likud fares worse than Labor, with only 13.3 percent women in its central committee, which has a total of some 3,300 members. In the party secretariat, of 30 members, the proportion of Page 12. 198 ... One exception was Tami (1981), whose political career was short-lived. ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... Due to its diverse political structure and ideological proclivities it was able to penetrate a wide social strata and muster national support.26 Under the leadership of Ben Gurion, Sharet, Eshkol, and Meir, the Labor party was... more
... Due to its diverse political structure and ideological proclivities it was able to penetrate a wide social strata and muster national support.26 Under the leadership of Ben Gurion, Sharet, Eshkol, and Meir, the Labor party was well-disciplined and cohesive; it acted as a unified ...