This is an ethnographic account of the Palestinian citizens of Israel. Dr. Rabinowitz has written widely on the current political situation in Israel, and here investigates situations of friction, conflict and cooperation in the new town of Natzerat Illit just outside Nazareth. Using case studies and biographical accounts, the author provides a major contribution to our understanding of confrontation in this area, offers a powerful critique of reflexive anthropology, and original insights into ideas of ethnicity and identity, nationalism and liberalism.

Modern urban spaces are, by definition, mixed socio-spatial configurations. In many ways, their enduring success and vitality lie in the richness of their ethnic texture and ongoing exchange of economic goods, cultural practices, political ideas and social movements. This mixture, however, is rarely harmonious and has often led to violent conflict over land and identity. Focusing on mixed towns in Israel/Palestine, this insightful volume theorizes the relationship between modernity and nationalism and the social dynamics which engender and characterize the growth of urban spaces and the...