The Palestinian citizens of Israel, the concept of trapped minority and the discourse of transnationalism in anthropology

Elastic, adaptable and vibrant, minorities often stretch across state borde rs in ways traditional concepts of states and nations fail to acknowledge, let alone theorize. The discourse of transnationalism helps to dislodge the study of minorities from the analytical straight-jacket of the state. The concept of 'trapped minority', developed herein from an analysis of the Pal estinian citizens of Israel, adds to this debate. A trapped minority is a s egment of a larger group spread across at least two states. Citizens of a s tate hegemonized by others, its members are alienated from political power. Unable to influence the definition of public goods or enjoy them, its memb ers are at the same time marginal within their mother nation abroad. My use of the concept of 'trapped minority' offers a critique of Smooha's rationa lized concept 'ethnic democracy' (1990) and of Yiftachel's ethno-regionalis m (1999a, after Hechter and Levi 1979), a critique that helps to re-frame a nd critique the Oslo-Wye process of Israel-Palestinian reconciliation and i s relevant to similar situations elsewhere.