Cambridge University Press The Israeli Supreme Court and the Human Rights Revolution: Courts As Agenda Setters

This book explains the reciprocal relations between the Supreme Court and the Israeli political system. It is based on a unique approach that contends that the non-governability of the political system and an alternative political culture are two key formal and informal variables affecting the behavior of several political players within the Israeli arena. The analysis illustrates the usefulness of such a model for analyzing long-term socio-political processes and explaining the actions of the players. Until this model changes significantly, the decisions of the High Court of Justice express the values of the state and enable Israel to remain a nation that upholds human rights. The Court's decisions determine the normative educational direction and reflect Israel's democratic character with regard to the values of human rights. Review "This important book takes uses quantitative empirical analysis backed by qualitative case studies to carefully examine the role that the Israeli High Court of Justice has played in Israel’s political life. The important findings demonstrate the corelationship between the HCJ and other actors in the political system." - Jeffrey Segal Distinguished Professor and Chair, Department of Political Science, Stony Brook University"An important increment to an important subject, which may prove useful for Israel studies students as well as for those engaging in pure comparative work within the subfield of public law." - Amnon Rubinstein Professor of Law, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya, 2006 Israel Prize Winner for the Study of Law"In this innovative study the author analyzes the role of Israeli supreme court in social and political engineering by initiating institutional changes in Israel. Meydani successfully develops an interdisciplinary approach to the study of public law, politics and policy."    - Shimon Shetreet Greenblatt Professor of Public and International Law, The Faculty of Law, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel"The Israeli Supreme Court and the Human Rights Revolution is a marvelous book. Not only will it inform future accounts of this fascinating Court, it will serve as a foundational resource for all work examining the role courts play in their societies." - Lee Epstein Provost Professor of Law and Political Science & Rader Family Trustee Chair in Law, University of Southern California Book Description This book explains the reciprocal relations between the Supreme Court and the Israeli political system. About the Author Dr Assaf Meydani is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Government and Society at the Academic College of Tel-Aviv–Yaffo. His research interests include public policy, politics and law, and political economy. Dr Meydani has been a Visiting Scholar at the Center for New Institutional Science at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, and the Institute of Management, Innovation, and Organization at the University of California at Berkeley. He is author of Political Transformations and Political Entrepreneurs: Israel in Comparative Perspective (2009). His articles have appeared in journals such as Israel Studies, Israel Law Review, Policy and Society, Constitutional Political Economy, Rationality and Society, and Land Use Policy.