Politics
POLI 145 Palestinian Citizens of Israel: Politics, Society, and Culture
Introduces the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, focusing on the case of the Palestinian citizens of Israel. After the 1948 war, many Palestinians were dispossessed of their lands and deported to Arab countries, and the Palestinians who remained within what became the State of Israel were granted citizenship. Palestinians in Israel make up roughly one-fifth of Israel's population, but are somewhat excluded from the Jewish majority society and are discriminated against by the state formally and informally. The relationship between the Jewish and the Palestinian citizens of Israel is fragile and constantly changing due to Israel's and the Palestinian Authority's political fluctuation, as well as Israel's definition of a Jewish and democratic state. This course highlights the Palestinians' political, social, and cultural aspects and sheds light on how they experience everyday life as a minority in Israel. Students learn how to apply an interdisciplinary approach to better understand the long-lasting regional conflict known for its high impact on world politics.