The Politics of Language in Multiethnic Militaries
The Case of Oriental Jews in the Israel Defence Forces, 1950-1959
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 2340157 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Alon Peled (0000-0002-7332-4191, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2000 |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 587-605 |
| Publication date | 2000-07-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Armed Forces & Society (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0095-327X • E-ISSN: 1556-0848 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/0095327x0002600405 |
| OpenAlex | W2016650816 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
This article argues that effective linguistic policies in multiethnic militaries do not evolve by themselves. Rather, they require both political pressure on the military to reform its language policy and the willingness of the military to learn from the experience of other militaries. It also provides new evidence to explain how a new quality classification system of manpower excluded Oriental conscripts (Jews who emigrated from Arab and Muslim countries) from the IDF's aptitude testing process because the tests were in Hebrew, not in their native languages, and therefore did not measure their true aptitude. Poor exam results were in turn interpreted as indications of widespread illiteracy among Oriental soldiers who were assigned to low-prestige vocations, with few succeeding in gaining entry into officer courses. The article also explains why David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first Prime Minister and Defence Minister, senior military officers, and Oriental leaders did nothing to rectify this situation
Functional illiteracy · Hebrew · Linguistics · Military personnel · Nothing · Officer · Political science · Politics · Prestige · Sociology · Classics · History · Intelligence, Security, War Strategy · Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies · Law
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Security Ethics and the Modern Military
Litigating Military Service at Civil Court
Rainbow, Snow, and the Poplar's Song
| Unique citing works | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,27 |
| Citation span | 2004 - 2013 (10) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 6 |