RT Article
T1 ‘Jewish and Scientologist’: ideal citizenship as a legitimisation strategy in Israel
JF Religion, state & society
VO 54
IS 1
SP 2
OP 21
A1 Yezersky, Renen
A1 Ben-Porat, Gay 1967-
A2 Ben-Porat, Gay 1967-
LA English
YR 2026
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1963103521
AB This article explores how citizenship discourses can serve as a strategic tool for religious minorities, particularly new religious movements (NRMs), to achieve legitimacy within a hostile and suspicious societal context. Focusing on the case of the Center of Scientology of Israel, this study investigates how NRMs leverage their corporate characteristics to engage with local discourses of citizenship, thereby attempting to secure legitimacy and acceptance within Israeli society – a society typically wary of non-Jewish practices. Through an analysis of in-depth interviews with key community members, we argue that the Center of Scientology’s legitimisation strategy aligns with the neoliberal communitarian citizenship model. This approach strategically blends Jewish ethno-national identity with market-oriented practices, allowing the Center to navigate the complexities of societal integration and legitimation.
K1 Israel
K1 Citizenship
K1 Legitimation
K1 New Religious Movements
K1 Scientology
DO 10.1080/09637494.2025.2511441