“Hosts, not guests, in Israel”: younger generations of Russian Israelis on the path to active citizenship

Abstract

ABSTRACT Jewish immigrants to Israel (olim) receive citizenship soon upon arrival and are endowed with all political and economic rights in their adopted country. Civic attitudes and behaviour of olim reflect both their pre-migration political socialization and their exposure to Israeli realities. This article highlights the dynamics of citizenship and civic participation in the younger cohorts of ex-Soviet Israelis (generations 1.5 and 2.0) vs. their parents who immigrated in the 1990s as adults (Gen 1.0). Our theoretical framing draws upon the concepts of critical citizenship, sub-politics, and cultural public sphere. Drawing on the combined analysis of national surveys and qualitative studies conducted over the last 20+ years, we examine shifts in voting patterns, volunteering, feelings of belonging, and ethnic mobilization for both national and community-specific causes. We argue that the civic agenda of ex-Soviet Israelis has evolved from mainly economically driven during the 1990s to mainly symbolic and ethno-national since the early 2000s. The findings also highlight gender differences in civil engagements of younger immigrant cohorts.