CJS340H1

Mizrahim in Israel: History, Politics, and Culture

What is the significance of the designation “Mizrahi” in Israel today? Does it refer to people who share a common geographical and ethnic origin or does it indicate a shared worldview that draws upon Middle Eastern Arabic culture? What are its relations with other terms, such as “Sephardi,” “Oriental,” or “Levantine”? What kind of political membership does it entail? Does it possess a certain cultural, religious, or political vocabulary? And, ultimately, does the diasporic concept of “Mizrahiyut” (mizrahiness) undermine national homogeneity or rather facilitate and enable its enforcement?