Over the course of four years, Jasmin Habib was a participant observer on tours of Israel organized for diaspora Jews as well as at North American community events focusing on Israel and Israel-diaspora relations. In this book, she argues that much of the existing literature about North American Jews and their relationship to Israel ignores their reactions to official narratives and perpetuates an "official silence" surrounding the destructive aspects of nationalist sentiments.

The second edition of Israel, Diaspora, and the Routes of National Belonging includes a new introduction by the author that builds on her groundbreaking research and reflects on the changes to scholarship since the book’s publication in 2004. Additionally, by exploring the dramatic changes to the region’s politics, Habib ensures that the startlingly honest, theoretically rich, and detailed analysis of her original work continues to be of relevance over a decade later.

Jasmin Habib is an associate professor in Department of Political Science at the University of Waterloo.

Jasmin Habib's profile page

"Habib’s work is important … it raises some painfully complex issues of nation and land. It is an interesting first step in refining the discussion of diaspora identity vis-à-vis Israel in the Canadian context."

Canadian Jewish Studies

"Israel, Diaspora and the Routes of National Belonging is a controversial piece of work, but credit must be given to Habib for the courage she’s shown trying to bridge the gap between Jews and Arabs."

Edmonton Jewish News

"In this ethnography, Jasmin Habib provides fascinating insights into the multifaceted ways in which a community constructs and reconstructs individual and collective identity."

Journal of Palestine Studies