Cascading Crises: Intersections of the Coronavirus Pandemic and Political Turmoil
with Dr. Maya Mark
The Ben-Gurion Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism
December 18, 2024 at 14:15-15:45
Via Zoom*
Abstract
This lecture examines the intersection of public health emergencies and political crises, using Israel’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic amidst severe political instability as a case study. It explores how cascading crises—where one emergency amplifies another—create vulnerabilities for democratic governance.
Focusing on two pivotal decisions in Israel during the pandemic—the restriction of Knesset activity and the limitation of public protests—the lecture highlights the risks of politically motivated emergency measures. These actions, framed as responses to public health needs, reveal how crises can be instrumentalized to erode democratic institutions, curtail civil liberties, and consolidate power.
Maya Mark is a Professor at the Ben-Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Trained as a political and legal historian at Tel Aviv University, her research examines the democratic worldview of the Israeli right, the rule of law under extreme conditions, and the dynamics of political violence.
