In an era in of increasing fear and uncertainty in Israel, the Fourth Annual Alternative Politics Conference in Sderot last week dedicated two days to “The Politics of Fear.”  SHATIL Associate Director Carlos Sztyglic opened the conference by comparing the fears officials try to instill in its citizens today (“If we talk to Hamas, the State will fall apart; if we don’t cut social budgets, we’ll have economic catastrophe”) to the fears of childhood monsters parents evoke to ensure their children mind them. In both cases, Sztyglic theorized, fear is used by the powerful to control the less powerful. Academics, writers, social activists and citizens from around the country participated in sessions on Fear as Policy in History, From Threat of Catastrophe to Economic Growth and Dangers, Fears and Security Policy. Sztyglic also moderated a round table discussion on “Another Kind of Politics in Israel: Struggles, New Direction and Voices.”

SHATIL Director Rachel Liel spoke at an evening event at the new Sderot Community Center along with literary, academic and community figures from Sderot and the rest of the country.  The event brought conference participants together with Sderot residents and was recorded live for Michael Miro’s popular weekly radio show, “Social Issues.” It celebrated the 50th anniversary of Sderot’s transition from immigrant transit camp to local authority. Liel spoke about the need to transform the concept “periphery” from a geographic to a social notion and from a negative image to the positive.   Further, she spoke to the potential the periphery holds for providing an alternative to the center that enjoys distributive equality and builds new models for diverse populations living together.

The Conference was co-sponsored by Sapir Academic College, SHATIL and the Heinrich Boll Foundation.