RIGHTS, CAPABILITIES AND THE MAKING OF CITIZENS: JEWISH IMMIGRANTS IN ISRAEL

I began carrying out research for this book over a decade ago. As a graduate student at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, I was intrigued by how a newly arrived Jewish immigrant in Israel, with little to no knowledge of Hebrew or a limited experience of democratic processes, would comprehend and take advantage of their citizenship rights. This curiosity sparked my doctoral research, which delved into the journeys of Romanian Jewish immigrants as they navigated a new country and its societal particularities and challenges.

This publication marks the completion of a doctoral dissertation in political science, defended at the National School of Political Studies and Public Administration in Bucharest, Romania, in February 2013.

It establishes a theoretical matrix built on the capability theoretical framework and the concept of citizenship as a new way to examine and evaluate how migrants mobilise their beings and doings to exercise the social and political rights of their newly conferred citizenship.

Employing this evaluative model in further studies could reveal and lead to recommendations to enhance individuals' capabilities. Additionally, this book aims to engage with experts working in the field of migration policy. It aspires to provide them with a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges immigrants face and, as a result, elucidate targeted and inspirational solutions.