Everyday Forms of Engagement with the State: Violence, Networks, and the Pursuit of Welfare in Israel/Palestine
Graduate Research Grant
In contexts of conflict where the sovereignty of the state is contested, why do some civilians engage voluntarily with the state, while others avoid contact with the state and its institutions? In this project I examine when and how civilians engage with state institutions to seek public goods and social services in contested territories. I argue that patterns of civilian-state engagement depend on whether individuals feel hopeless or hopeful regarding their ability to better their circumstances. I theorize that exposure to different types of violence and different levels of access to community institutions will bring about feelings of hope and hopelessness amongst civilians. I test this argument in the case of Israel/Palestine and secondarily in the case of Northern Ireland.
