The Meaning of Israel

The Meaning of Israel argues that left ideas about Zionism and Israel have been inextricably intertwined with ideas about civilization. Post-war social democrats used ideas about Zionism and Israel to assuage their anxiety about the future of civilization, and to reaffirm the viability of this very concept.

Åsmund Borgen Gjerde is a postdoc at the University of Bergen. This is his second monograph, and he is currently working on the third, about radicalism and sexual identity in the aftermath of the Second World War, in Europe and the United States. He has published numerous journal articles and anthology chapters.