The Revolution Within State Institutions and Unarmed Resistance in Palestine

Why do some individuals participate in risky, anti-regime resistance whereas others abstain? The Revolution Within answers this question through an in-depth study of unarmed resistance against Israeli rule in the Palestinian Territories over more than a decade. Despite having strong anti-regime sentiment, Palestinians initially lacked the internal organizational strength often seen as necessary for protest. This book provides a foundation for understanding participation and mobilization under these difficult conditions. It argues that, under these conditions, integration into state institutions - schools, prisons and courts - paradoxically makes individuals more likely to resist against the state. Diverse evidence drawn from field research - including the first, large-scale survey of participants and non-participants in Palestinian resistance, Arabic language interviews, and archival sources - supports the argument. The book's findings explain how anti-regime resistance can occur even without the strong civil society organizations often regarded as necessary for protest and, thus, suggest new avenues for supporting civil resistance movements.

1. Introduction; 2. The rise of anti-regime resistance; 3. Educational institutions and participation in resistance; 4. Disciplinary institutions and participation in resistance; 5. Beyond state institutions: civil society and the coordination of resistance; 6. Conclusions; 7. Methodological appendix.

Yael Zeira is Croft Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Mississippi. Her research examines the causes and consequences of public opinion and political behavior in authoritarian and conflict settings, with a regional focus on the Middle East. Her other research on this topic has been published in leading academic journals, including Comparative Political Studies and the Journal of Conflict Resolution.