From October 20-30 2014, the University of Toronto and Department of Political Science welcomed Joel S. Migdal to teach a two week intensive course on ‘Israel in the Global Context’. Registration for this class closed on September 21, 2014 and was only available to current students at the University of Toronto.
This course examined in depth four dimensions of Israeli society and politics in a comparative and international context. The first dimension involved the complex economics of Israel, including its move towards high-tech industries, growing economic inequality (and the social protests that erupted in 2011), and historical changes in the economy. Second, the course delved into the social composition of Israeli society, analyzing questions of division and unity, particularly within the Jewish majority. Third, the state of Palestinian Israelis, relations between Jewish and Arab citizens in Israel, and relations between Palestinians in the occupied territories and Israel was be examined. Special attention was paid to the costs to both sides of occupation. The course further inquired why occupation has persisted so long. Finally, Israel was analyzed within the regional and global contexts. The course looked, particularly, at Israel within the context of the current disintegration of neighbouring states and the country’s relationship to the United States.
Dr. Migdal is the Robert F. Philip Professor of International Studies at the University of Washington’s Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies. Dr. Migdal was formerly an associate professor of Government at Harvard University and senior lecturer at Tel-Aviv University. Among his books are Peasants, Politics, and Revolution; Palestinian Society and Politics; Strong Societies and Weak States; State in Society; Through the Lens of Israel; The Palestinian People: A History (with Baruch Kimmerling); and, Boundaries and Belonging.
If you would like to read more about Dr. Migdal’s work, please click here.