Religion, War and Israel's Secular Millennials: Being Reasonable?

The book explores how secular Jewish Israeli millennials view the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, considering the impact of the Oslo peace process and political leaders' use of ethno-religious rhetoric. It analyzes the blowback to religious nationalism among this group and offers a close reading of their lived experiences and generational memory. The book argues that attitudes to the Occupation have grown increasingly conservative due to neo-Romantic conceptions of citizenship and provides a new theoretical framework for studying emotion, religion, nationalism, secularism, and political violence.

Format: Hardback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 20 October 2020
Publisher: Manchester University Press

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has had a profound impact on secular Jewish Israeli millennials, who have grown up in the shadow of the Oslo peace process. Political leaders have often used ethno-religious rhetoric to divide the two groups, leading to a backlash among this demographic. In her groundbreaking book, "The Emotional Ecology of Occupation: Blowback to Palestinian and Jewish-Israeli Religious Nationalism among Secular Millennials," Dr. Anna Gutkowski explores the experiences and perspectives of this group in their own words.

Through extensive fieldwork, interviews, and surveys conducted after the 2014 Gaza War, Gutkowski offers a unique insight into the emotional consequences of the conflict. She argues that the occupation has had a significant impact on the attitudes of secular Jewish Israelis toward the conflict, leading to a growing conservatism over the past two decades.

Gutkowski's book offers a close reading of the lived experience and generational memory of participants, providing a new explanation for why attitudes to the occupation have become increasingly conservative. She examines the intimate emotional ecology of the occupation, exploring how it affects individuals' emotional well-being and sense of identity.

One of the key findings of the book is that neo-Romantic conceptions of citizenship have played a significant role in shaping the attitudes of secular Jewish Israelis toward the conflict. Gutkowski argues that these conceptions prioritize national identity over individual rights and freedoms, leading to a rejection of compromise and a willingness to resort to violence in order to achieve political goals.

Beyond the case study of secular Jewish Israeli millennials, Gutkowski's book provides a new theoretical framework and methods for researchers and students studying emotion, religion, nationalism, secularism, and political violence. She offers a critical analysis of existing theories and methodologies, suggesting new ways of understanding and analyzing these complex issues.

In conclusion, "The Emotional Ecology of Occupation" is a groundbreaking book that offers a fresh perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Through the voices of secular Jewish Israeli millennials, Gutkowski provides a deep understanding of the emotional consequences of the occupation and the role that neo-Romantic conceptions of citizenship play in shaping attitudes toward the conflict. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complex dynamics of this ongoing conflict and its impact on individuals and communities.

Weight: 608g
Dimension: 163 x 240 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526139993