Edited by: Avi Sagi, Hanan Mandel, Yedidya Stern
Democracy in Israel is a young sapling. The depth of its roots and spread of its branches in the local culture are as yet undefined. The adoption of the idea of democracy has been influenced by the history of the Jewish people, a history characterized by lack of sovereignty and by the collective memory of one who suspects the other and is persecuted by him. Democracy in Israel is develping hesitantly within the framework of tension between two powerful competing civilizations: that of traditional Judaism and that of liberal western society. This situation creates an existential need to explore questions relating to the texture of democratic life in the State of Israel. The journal Democratic Culture was founded for this purpose: to serve as a forum for studies on democratic culture in general and Israeli democracy in particular. This interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary publication welcomes studies in the humanities, social sciences, law and Jewish studies. Its editors are Prof. Yedidia Stern from the Faculty of Law and Prof. Avi Sagi from the Philosophy Department. Assistant Editor: Hanan Mandel. The journal is co-published with the Israel Democracy Institute.