Nation and History: Israeli Historiography Between Zionism and Post-Zionism (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780853038832)

A critical examination of Israeli historiography and its complex relationship with Zionism. During the last 20 years, Israel has reached unprecedented prosperity, yet it is haunted by existential fears for its future, identity, and survival. This book explores the evolution of Israeli historiography and its ongoing debates. This study concentrates primarily on the shaping of the Israeli attitude to the past, and the Israeli view of the past became controversial in the 1980s, with the appearance of the so-called 'new' historians. It examines the conflicting approaches to the cardinal issue of Zionism's essence: Is it a national liberation movement or a colonial movement?

• Analyzes the impact of postmodernism on historical research.
• Refutes post-Zionism's denial of the existence of Jewish nation and national identity.
• Contests the post-Zionist accusations of Zionism's past sins towards the Palestinian Arabs and Jews from Muslim countries.

For scholars of Israeli history, Zionism, and Middle Eastern studies.

Author: Yoav Gelber
ISBN-10: 085303883X
ISBN-13: 9780853038832
Publisher: Vallentine Mitchell
Language: English
Published: 02/01/2011
Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.55lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.20w x 1.30d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 11/01/2011
Reference and Research Bk News 04/01/2011 pg. 38