Israel Studies in Poland, Czech Republic, and Germany: paths of development, dynamics, and directions of changes

Abstract

ABSTRACT In recent years, Israel Studies have been gaining momentum in Europe, especially in the Central and Eastern parts of the continent. The aim of this paper is to scrutinize the genesis and evolutionary developments of Israel Studies as a separate study field in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany. The authors tackle the following aspects: the dominant intellectual traditions, historiographic approaches, and disciplinary frameworks; the teaching and research environment for Israel Studies in each examined country; potential entanglement of the discipline with political ties to the State of Israel and its consequences. The paper employs the qualitative research approach and relies on the case study methodology. However, an essential part of the study utilizes a comparative perspective and offers certain prospects for Israel Studies.