Derek J. Penslar is a distinguished Jewish historian and professor at Harvard, known for his book, 'Zionism: An Emotional State.' In this thought-provoking discussion, he explores how emotions fuel the Zionist movement, reshaping perceptions of Jewish identity. Penslar critiques traditional Zionist definitions, examines American Jews' emotional ties to Israel, and addresses the complexities of colonialism in Zionist narratives. He also delves into the changing sentiments of younger generations, the impact of historical events like the Holocaust, and the intricate dynamics of post-Zionism.
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insights INSIGHT
Complex Zionism and Colonialism Relationship
Zionism combines settler colonial traits with anti-colonial liberation aims.
It cannot be fully understood solely as colonialism due to Jewish oppression and Holocaust trauma.
insights INSIGHT
Zionism's Evolving Emotional States
Zionism's emotional foundation shifted from sentimental love to solidarity mixed with survivor guilt.
The movement's early emotional intensity also caused profound disappointment and despair.
insights INSIGHT
The Great Romance with Israel
Post-1948, diaspora Jewry's love for Israel intensified into infatuation, especially after 1967.
This deep connection began to fade in the late 20th century as Israel normalized economically and politically.
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In *Zionism: An Emotional State*, Derek Penslar examines the emotional dynamics that have shaped Zionism throughout its history. The book delves into how emotions like love, fear, and passion have influenced Zionist sensibilities and practices, offering a nuanced understanding of Jewish identity and nationalism. Penslar also explores the relationship between Zionism and colonialism, providing a comprehensive portrait of Zionism's role in modern debates.
Emotion lies at the heart of all national movements, and Zionism is no exception. For those who identify as Zionist, the word connotes liberation and redemption, uniqueness and vulnerability. Yet for many, Zionism is a source of distaste if not disgust, and those who reject it are no less passionate than those who embrace it. The power of such emotions helps explain why a word originally associated with territorial aspiration has survived so many years after the establishment of the Israeli state. Zionism: An Emotional State(Rutgers UP, 2023) expertly demonstrates how the energy propelling the Zionist project originates from bundles of feeling whose elements have varied in volume, intensity, and durability across space and time. Beginning with an original typology of Zionism and a new take on its relationship to colonialism, Penslar then examines the emotions that have shaped Zionist sensibilities and practices over the course of the movement’s history. The resulting portrait of Zionism reconfigures how we understand Jewish identity amidst continuing debates on the role of nationalism in the modern world.
Derek Penslar is the William Lee Frost Professor of Jewish History and the Director of the Center for Jewish Studies at Harvard University. He previously taught at Indiana University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Oxford, where he was in inaugural holder of the Stanley Lewis Chair in Modern Israel Studies. Penslar has published a dozen books, most recently Zionism: An EmotionalState (2023). He is currently writing a book titled The War for Palestine, 1947-1949: A Global History. Penslar is a past president of the American Academy for Jewish Research, a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and an Honorary Fellow of St. Anne’s College, Oxford.
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