Pretending Democracy: Israel, an ethnocratic state, WiSER 19 February 2013

Pretending Democracy

Chaired by Ran Greenstein this event was co hosted with the The Afro-Middle East Centre. Addressing central themes in this new book on Israeli politics, were: Joseph Dana, a journalist and writer; Na'eem Jeenah, the executive director of the Afro-Middle East Centre and editor of the book; and Adam Habib, vice-chancellor designate (WITS) and contributor to the book.

The evening was framed around a central question: Can a state be both democratic and ethnically self-defined? Based on papers presented at AMEC’s 2010 conference themed  ‘Locating ethnic states in a cosmopolitan world: The case of Israel’, this book interrogates concepts such as ‘cosmopolitanism’, ‘nationalism’, ‘ethnocracy’ and ‘citizenship’.

The WiSER seminar room was packed to capacity with over 70 people. The launch was framed by four substantial talks and 45 minutes of audience questions. Ran, Joseph and Na'eem outlined both layers of historical and theoretical arguments as well as case material and recent research, with Joseph drawing on his eye witness to life in Ramallah. Adam gave a sparkling commentary-overview, relating “The Arab Spring” to SA struggles, internationalism and related issues in Palestine-Israel debates - drawing on Achille Mbembe's Afropolitanism thesis.

After the formal discussions the crowd drifted into the foyer over snakcs and refreshments and people continued animated conversations until well after 9pm.