Ira Sharkansky is professor emeritus of political science and public administration at Hebrew University.
His books, which are available on Amazon, include:
*Alternative federal solutions to the problem of the administered territories
*Ambiguity, Coping, and Governance: Israeli Experiences in Politics, Religion, and Policymaking
*Ancient and Modern Israel: An Exploration of Political Parallels
*Coping with Terror: An Israeli Perspective
* Governing Israel: Chosen People, Promised Land and Prophetic Tradition
*Governing Jerusalem: Again on the World’s Agenda
* Israel and its Bible: A Political Analysis
* Maligned States: policy accomplishments, problems and opportunities
* Policy Analysis in Political Science
* Policy and Politics in American Governments
* Policy Making in Israel: Routines for Simple Problems and Coping with the Complex
* Politics and Planning in the Holy City
* Politics and Policymaking in Search of Simplicity
* Public Administration: Agencies, Policies, and Politics
* Public Administration Policy Making in Government Agencies
* Public Administration (2nd Edition): Policy Making in Government Agencies
* Regionalism in American Politics
* Rituals of Conflict: Religion, Politics, and Public Policy in Israel
* Spending in the American States
* The Policy Predicament: Making and Implementing Public Policy
* The Political Economy of Israel
* The Politics of Religion and the Religion of Politics
*The Politics of Taxing and Spending
* The Routines of Politics
* The United States: A Study of a Developing Country
* The United States Revisited: A Study of a Still Developing Country
* Urban Politics and Public Policy [Robert Lineberry]
* What Makes Israel Tick: How Domestic Policy-Makers Cope with Restraints
* Wither the State: Politics and Public Enterprise in Three Countries
By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The present tension concerned with Syria, Cold warriors Vladimir and Barack against one another, with Bibi somewhere in the middle, brings back our memories of Jewish history, going back to when it began. We are not the only minority having to cope with more powerful others. In this neighborhood alone, the Druze, […]
Israel must maneuver between super powers Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–A meeting of potentially great importance occurred between Vladimir Putin and Benyamin Netanyahu, together with the head of the IDF, the chief of military intelligence, and their Russian counterparts. It came on the news of Russia providing substantial military assistance to the forces of Bashar al Assad, and the concern that Israeli
Russia, Israel maneuver in Syrian civil war Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — According to Jewish tradition, the period between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is the opportunity for soul searching and a new beginning, i.e., Atonement. The Almighty is said to decide each person’s fate for the coming year on Rosh Hashana, and to sign the final decision on Yom Kippur. The
Diversity, unity both said to be strengths of Judaism Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The Temple Mount (to Muslims Noble Sanctuary or Haram al Sharif) has returned to world headlines for God may know how many times, according to Jews, since the time of Solomon. Whatever happened there, and happens now, is a matter of intense concern. It is not a stretch to conclude that it
Temple Mount crux of Arab – Israeli dispute Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — An American cousin sent me a link to the PBS documentary, 1913: Seeds of Conflict, and asked if it was a fair and accurate presentation. I clicked, and received a message, “We’re sorry, but this video is not available in your region due to right restrictions.” The Internet being what it
Arab – Jewish holy-day battles have many precedents Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — One of the principal lessons that should be taught in courses dealing with politics and public policy is the persistence of uncertainty. People who insist on telling us what will be, or what will not be, have a lot to learn. Many who claim to be predicting are telling us what
Uncertainty, incremental change staples of government Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It’s not an auspicious beginning. Or maybe it is. The year is 5776, according to the Hebrew calendar, תשע”ו as you’ll find it on Israeli documents. By tradition, the calendar began with the creation of the world, but we needn’t let doubts about that bother us. As it is beginning, the
Jewish year 5776 starts ominously Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — On the day that Barack Obama gained enough votes supporting his deal with Iran to keep it from even coming to a vote in the Senate, the Supreme Leader of his partner nation, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, proclaimed that Iran would see to it that Israel will not survive the 25
Obama’s pyrrhic victory Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The numbers are large, and projections are that the stream of refugees from the east and south will remain at flood stage. Some are predicting another historic migration, such as that which brought tribes from Asia to Europe long ago, and the great movements after World War II. Projections range to
Instead of helping refugees, nations talk and talk Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — What’s the future of this region? No one in their right mind has a convincing answer. What had been major players, or at least rich countries with lots of oil, i.e., Syria (without much oil), Iraq and Libya (with lots of it) are no more. They’ve all gone the way
Mideast turmoil defies academic description Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Although the numbers are far from exact, the extent and the immediate causes of continued mass migration are well known. They are conflict/chaos in a number of Muslim countries, violence of a different kind along the routes the supply illegal drugs to the US, and poverty throughout Africa. One picture of a
Western advances fuel migrant crises Read More »
International, Ira SharkanskyBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — There are two issues on our agenda whose details will not interest many of you. But how they are being managed, or not managed, reveals something about government in this tiny Jewish republic. What follows is not anti-Semitism. But one must admit that the temptation exists. One is the already
Israeli politics meander through gas, police decisions Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — One can guess that the Palestinians have gone the route of Mt McKinley. The time of both in the spotlight may have passed, but we’re not sure of either’s demise. Barack Obama’s move to bestow on what had been called Mt McKinley for more than a century the name given
Symbolism doesn’t solve real- world problems Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USASAN DIEGO (SDJW) – During the month of August, San Diego Jewish World was privileged to publish works by the following writers and photographers. We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you and to publicly express our appreciation. To access works by these contributors on San Diego Jewish World, type or copy their name into the
A hearty thank you to SDJW’s August contributors Read More »
Barry Shaw, Donald H. Harrison, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Edwin Black, Eileen Wingard, Fred Reiss, EdD, Ira Sharkansky, Lawrence Baron, Mark D. Zimmerman, Michael Ordman, Mimi Pollack, Natasha Josefowitz, Sheryl Rowling, Shor M. Masori, Shoshana Bryen, Steve Kramer