Architecture, Orientalism and Identity: The Politics of the Israeli-Built Environment

Abstract

This article critically examines the role of architecture in the construction of national identity. Through critical analysis of architectural representations, I study the interrelations between the production of the architectural object and the practice of construction of Israeli national identity. The existing body of knowledge that supports this article claims that the creation of national identity is a socially constructed process which involves a variety of practices including education, music, and army service, as well as designing the built environment. It is important to note that the realization of such practices does not occur as a natural process, but rather as a result of power relations embodied within the national sphere.