This book uses different methodologies to explore inequality in a number of areas of Israeli society, focusing on Israel's diverse populations and communities. Israel is an interesting case among industrialized countries as the level of inequality is high across a number of measures. The country is extremely divided along ethnic, national, religious, and political lines, producing unique conditions within which the effects of factors such as gender, class, region, age, and education are highly contextualized. Income inequality in Israel is among the highest in the Western world; the poverty rate and income gap between classes are similarly high. The chapters in this volume address different aspects and areas of such inequalities in Israel. Conclusions drawn here expand our knowledge and understanding of the various mechanisms through which inequality is produced and maintained in Israel as well as the role that state policies play in minimizing or increasing the impact of these mechanisms.

ContentsList of illustrationsAcknowledgementsIntroduction; Nabil Khattab, Sami Miaari, and Haya StierPART I: GENERAL INEQUALITY1. The Correlates of Household Debt in Late-Life; Noah Lewin-Epstein and Or Raviv2. Household Inequality and the Contribution of Spousal Correlations; Pnina O. Plaut and Steven Plaut3. Religious Schooling, Secular Schooling, and Household Income Inequality in Israel: An Application of Regression-Based Inequality Decompositions; Ayal Kimhi and Moran SandelPART II: INEQUALITY IN EDUCATION4. First-Generation College Students in an Expanded and Diversified Higher Education System: The Case of Israel; Hanna Ayalon and Oded Mcdossi5. Ethno/religious hierarchy in educational achievement and socioeconomic status in Israel: An historical perspective; Dov Friedlander, Barbara S. Okun and Calvin Goldscheider6. Overeducation and Wage Penalties amongst Immigrants, Native Minorities and Majority Ethnic groups; Nabil Khattab and Amit LazarusPART III: GENDER INEQUALITY7. The 'Gender Revolution' in Israel: Progress and Stagnation; Hadas Mandel and Debora P. Birgier8. Gender earnings gaps in ethnic and religious groups in Israel; Vered Kraus and Yuval YonayPART IV: ETHNIC INEQUALITY9. Geographical considerations in Arabs' integration into the Israeli labour market; Izhak Schnell and Ilan Shdema10. Horizontal inequality in Israel's welfare state: do Arabs receive fewer and lower cash benefits?; MichaelShalev and Amit LazarusNotes on contributorsIndex