The Politics of Provocation

Examines street demonstrations from 1980 through 1984. What drives citizens to take to the streets—and what does it reveal about a nation's political soul? In The Politics of Provocation Gadi Wolfsfeld offers a study of protest behavior in Jerusalem, a city where political tension is not an occasional event but a defining feature of daily life. Against the backdrop of Israel's capital—home to deep ideological divides and a large ultra-Orthodox population— Wolfsfeld examines an unprecedented rise in public demonstrations and what they signal about shifting patterns of political engagement. Drawing on a rare and rigorous dataset of 423 street demonstrations between 1980 and 1984, Wolfsfeld moves beyond anecdote to deliver a systematic analysis of both individual and collective political participation. His findings challenge conventional assumptions about protest, participation, and political expression, revealing a more complex relationship between citizens and the state than commonly understood. Structured with clarity and precision, The Politics of Provocation combines theoretical innovation with empirical depth, offering a framework that connects personal motivations to broader collective action. From the dynamics of participation to the outcomes of protest movements, each chapter builds toward a comprehensive understanding of political activism in a divided society.