About this Research Topic

Background

Since the breakdown of Netanyahu's fourth cabinet in 2018, Israel has been experiencing the most severe political crisis in its history, including five elections in 3.5 years. The coalition crisis led to several others, including the government. The field of political science has been intensely focused on the crises of Israeli democracy, particularly since the breakdown of Netanyahu's fourth cabinet in 2018. This period has marked the most severe political crisis in Israel's history, characterized by five elections within a span of 3.5 years. The coalition crisis has precipitated further challenges, notably the government's controversial attempts to reform the judicial branch, which many argue undermines the rule of law. This has led to Israel's transition from a liberal democracy to a weakened electoral democracy, as highlighted in the 2024 report by the Varieties of Democracy Institute. Despite ongoing debates and significant studies, there remains a critical need for a deeper investigation into the underlying causes and consequences of these crises. Current research has yet to fully address the dynamic interactions between political elites, institutions, and the public, as well as the broader implications for democratic norms and practices.

This research topic aims to explore the causes and consequences of the Israeli democratic crisis, either as a case study or as part of cross-national comparative research. The primary objective is to understand the dynamics of recent crises in Israel through theoretically informed, case-specific, and comparative research. Key questions include how elite-public dynamics, party competition, and media influence contribute to democratic backsliding. Additionally, the research seeks to examine the responsiveness of institutions to public opinion and the extent to which ideology and economic interests among elites drive the crisis.

To gather further insights into the complexities of the Israeli democratic crisis, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Party Competition and Ideological Shifts: Changes in party competition, coalition formations, and ideological convergence/polarization.
• Elite-Public Dynamics: Interplay between elite actors and the public concerning elections, government formation, and democratic norms.
• Role of Media: Influence of media channels on public and elite engagement during the crisis.
• Ideology vs. Economic Interests: Impact of ideology and economic interests among ruling elites on the democratic crisis.
• Affective Polarization and Political Violence: Association of the crisis with trends of affective polarization or political violence.
• Other relevant issues related to the crisis of Israeli democracy or comparative studies including Israel.
nt's recent attempt to reform, or weaken, the judicial branch and undermine the rule of law. This in turn, resulted in Israel's transition from a liberal democracy to a weakened electoral democracy (as indicated in the 2024 report by the Varieties of Democracy Institute). In this research topic, we ask for contributions that offer different analytical views on the crises of Israeli democracy. We seek contributions that reflect and focus on the crises of Israeli democracy, including but not limited to, the rise of populism, polarization, party politics, political disinformation, and democratic backsliding.

This Research Topic aims to explore the causes and consequences of the Israeli democratic crisis either as a case study or as part of a cross-national comparative research. Theoretically informed, case-specific and comparative research is needed to understand the overall dynamics of recent crises in Israel. In today's fragile democratic ecosystem, exploring the dynamic processes between elites and institutions such as the judiciary, legislature, party systems, civil society, media, and non-governmental organizations is crucial. This might also include examining the extent to which these entities are responsive to public opinion and voters. Given the myriad processes that characterize democratic decline, we are interested in the following aspects and their interactions:
Party Competition and Ideological Shifts: Exploring changes in party competition, coalition formations, and ideological convergence/polarization before, during, and after the crisis of the Israeli Democracy.
Elite-Public Dynamics: Exploring the interplay between elite actors and the public in Israel with respect to elections, government formation, rule of law, resisting backsliding and preserving democratic norms.
Role of Media in the crisis of the Israeli democracy: Investigating how media channels influence and engage with the public and elites as a cause or a consequence of the Israeli democratic crisis.
Ideology vs. Economic Interests at the Elite Level: Examining how ideology and economic interests among ruling elites drive the democratic crisis, reflecting broader ideological transformations or economic motivations.
Affective Polarization and Political Violence: Studying how the Israeli is associated with current trends of affective polarization or political violence.
We are open to other relevant issues studying the crisis of the Israeli democracy or including Israel as a case in a comparative study.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Israel, democratic backsliding, populism, affective polarization, ideology, coalitions, religious fundamentalism, disinformation, conflict, constitutional crisis, public opinion, party politics

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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