Coming Soon!

This book offers a panoramic survey of Zionism’s internal dialogues, tracing how a single movement has unfolded across political, religious, and cultural dimensions. It brings together foundational texts, theological writings, historical analyses, and contemporary scholarship to map the debates that have shaped—and continue to shape—Zionist thought and practice.

Structure and Sections

1. Jewish Political Zionism
   Explores the origins of modern political Zionism, from Herzl’s vision in Der Judenstaat (1896) to the emotional and ideological legacies highlighted by recent scholars. Key debates include the tension between cultural revival and statehood, as well as the Americanization of the movement in the early 20th century.
2. Jewish Religious Zionism
   Charts the emergence of religious Zionist ideology from rabbinic endorsements in the 19th century to contemporary ideological movements. Examines how millenarian hopes, scriptural exegesis, and rabbinic authority have intertwined with nationalist aspirations.
3. Christian Zionism
   Surveys Protestant and evangelical currents that support Jewish return to the Holy Land. Traces roots in 17th-century Puritan millennialism, Darby’s dispensationalism, and modern evangelical lobbying for Israel. Highlights how theological commitments translate into political action.
4. Critical and Post-Zionist Perspectives
   Presents voices challenging Zionist narratives from the Left and the academy. Includes deconstructive philosophies, postcolonial critiques portraying Zionism as settler colonialism, and ethical interrogations of exclusion and state ideology.
5. Palestinian and Arab Perspectives
   Centers Palestinian experiences of dispossession and resistance. Features foundational works by Edward Said and Rashid Khalidi, as well as analyses of collaboration, memory, and ongoing struggles for statehood.
6. Comparative Decolonization Frameworks
   Places Zionism within the broader context of post-imperial nation-building. Draws parallels between Israel’s formation and decolonization in Africa and Asia, illuminating common challenges of sovereignty, identity, and reconciliation.

Key Themes

• The interplay of nationalism and religion in forging collective identity
• Contradictions between democratic ideals and ethnonational definitions of statehood
• The role of external powers and international politics in Zionist successes and failures
• Ethical questions around displacement, memory, and justice
• Ongoing negotiations between unity and pluralism within Jewish and non-Jewish communities

Intended Audience and Purpose

This volume speaks to scholars, students, and engaged readers seeking a multifaceted understanding of Zionism. Rather than prescribing answers, it invites readers to navigate the friction between competing visions—from pioneering manifestos to contemporary dissent—and to consider how those debates will shape the Zionist project’s next chapters.

978-1-915958-29-7