The main purpose of the present study is to explore the tendencies regarding identity definition of young generation educated Arabs who are Israeli citizens. The internal and external dynamics in the 1990s are investigated in relation to their impact on the identity formation of young generation educated Arabs in Israel. The aspirations and demands of the case study group on the civic and national grounds are analyzed. The research topic is focused on the changing attitudes of the Arab community in Israel by taking into consideration of previous years but putting emphasis on the recent decade. The common ground among the highly educated Israeli-Arabs is analyzed by questioning citizenship and minority rights.
In-depth interviewing, observation and literature analysis were used as data collection techniques. Fieldwork has been done in Israel during the summer 2001. A qualitative study, using in-depth interviews with 9 selected educated young Arabs has been applied. All interviews were recorded, transcribed and the transcribed texts were used for discourse analysis. During the interviews political opinions, obstacles to powersharing and areas of discrimination, daily life, definition of national and civic identity, opinions on current issues throughout the world and in the region, education, language, culture and role as an educated group were inquired.
Findings indicate that young generation educated Arabs of Israel under the impact of two processes Israelization and Palestinization, are radical in their attitudes. On the one hand, the new generation intellectuals have more or less succeeded to integrate to the Israeli society, but on the other hand their awareness of their personal/social and collective identity as a Palestinian citizen of Israel is high. Increased civic and national aspects led to a shift in their identity definitions. In this sense, they carry the characteristics of the new political trend which claims recognition for Arabs collectively as a national minority within the Israeli system. They prefer to be called as Palestinians who are Israeli citizens.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:METU/oai:etd.lib.metu.edu.tr:http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/2/12605237/index.pdf |
| Date | 01 June 2004 |
| Creators | Ercan, Suna |
| Contributors | Rittersberger Tilic, Helga |
| Publisher | METU |
| Source Sets | Middle East Technical Univ. |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | M.S. Thesis |
| Format | text/pdf |
| Rights | To liberate the content for public access |
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