A Jewish State?

Religious Nationalism in Israel
Erscheinungsjahr 2026
ISBN: 978-3-032-10252-2
Verlag: Springer

Buch, Englisch, 276 Seiten, Format (B × H): 153 mm x 216 mm, Gewicht: 454 g

Reihe: Palgrave Studies in Religion, Politics, and Policy

Judaism is fundamental to Israel’s self-conception, but Israelis disagree about whether this is a religious, ethnic, or cultural claim. This book analyzes the implications of religious nationalist sentiment for public support in domains like democracy, war, and social policy. A large segment of the Israeli population subscribes to the Jewish nationalist ideology. Jewish nationalists are more conservative, seek Jewish-homogeneous social groups, and pursue more aggressive foreign policies. In the face of a sizable secular and non-Jewish population, Jewish nationalism thus threatens democratization and stability in Israel.

Timely and authoritative,  offers a rare combination of theoretical sophistication and methodological depth. With clarity and rigor, Ridge fills a long-standing gap in scholarship, demonstrating how Jewish nationalism shapes Israel’s identity, democracy, and global role. This book reframes urgent debates with precision and lasting significance.

--Andrew Ward, Tulane University 

“The book is timely given the ongoing war in Gaza and aggressions in the West Bank. Ridge’s thorough analysis perceptively demonstrates how Jewish nationalism drives Israeli settlement and war policies.” 

--Peter O’Brien, author of  . 

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Ridge, Hannah

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Religionswissenschaft Allgemein Religion & Politik, Religionsfreiheit
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Theorie, Politische Philosophie
• Geisteswissenschaften Jüdische Studien Jüdische Studien

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Chapter 1: Religious Nationalism in Israel.- Chapter 2: Measuring Jewish Nationalism.- Chapter 3: Pervasive Prejudice.- Chapter 4: To the Right.- Chapter 5: Democracy and Alternatives.- Chapter 6: Maximum Jews on Maximum Land?.- Chapter 7: Conclusion.

Über Autor(innen)

Hannah M. Ridge is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Chapman University. She earned her PhD in Political Science at Duke University. She is the author of (2025) and  (2023).