Securing the diasporic 'self' by travelling abroad: Taglit-Birthright and ontological security. Issue 4 (12th March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Abramson, Yehonatan
• Is Part Of: Journal of ethnic and migration studies. Volume 45:Issue 4(2019)
• Page Start: 656
• Page End: 673
• Publication Date: 2019-03-12
• Subjects: Diaspora politics -- diasporic identity -- ontological security -- homeland -- transnational identity-construction -- Taglit-Birthright; Ethnic relations -- Periodicals; Race relations -- Periodicals; Emigration and immigration -- Periodicals; Assimilation (Sociology) -- Periodicals; 305.8005
• DOI: 10.1080/1369183X.2017.1409176
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-183X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: In recent years, the literature on diaspora politics has focused primarily on why and when migrant or ethno-religious groups adopt a diasporic stance and mobilise on behalf of their homeland. The ability of a community to sustain a diasporic stance across generations is less explored and often assumed to be dependent on discrimination in the host country or events in the homeland. By contrast, this article focuses on internal dynamics of the Jewish-American community to explore the development of Taglit-Birthright – a free educational trip to Israel offered to young Jewish adults. Drawing on the concept of ontological security – security of identity and subjectivity – I argue that the decision to invest in such a costly and experimental programme was the result of two perceived threats to Jewish diasporic identity: the threat to the diasporic narrative and the threat to the relationship with the homeland. Evidence for this claim is generated through interpretation of internal documents, media reports, and secondary literature.