Consumption and Market Society in Israel - Taschenbuch

Israel has been remodelling itself on Western consumer societies for the last twenty years. Most Israelis now aspire to the "accessories" of Western lifestyles--private automobiles, cell phones, shopping malls, and travel abroad. International franchises such as McDonald's, Office Depot, Benetton, IKEA, and Toys 'R' Us increasingly feature in the Israeli landscape, and advertising has emerged as a potent force. "Consumption and Market Society in Israel" shows how different groups--kibbutzniks, Israeli Arabs, Ultra-Orthodox Jews, new immigrants, and middle-class Israelis--alternately exhibit a suspicion towards and enthusiasm for the consumer market society. Lifestyle consumerism is seen alternately as destructive to community and nation, or providing a sense of unity and familiarity in a time of political turmoil. This book is a timely contribution to a hotly debated topic. It is not only innovative in its research, but is the first work to explore fully the significance of this transformation in Israel.