Functional Jewish Groups A New Interpretive Model

Description

Dr. Al-Masiri defines the concept of a functional group as a group that societies either import from outside or recruit from within. Its identity is determined by the function it performs, not by its inherent humanity. These groups are entrusted with tasks that ordinary members of society would not typically undertake, for various reasons. These tasks may be considered shameful, such as prostitution and usury; specialized, requiring specific expertise, such as medicine and translation; security-related or military, such as eunuchs and slaves; or demanding complete neutrality, such as trade and tax collection. Members of functional groups are characterized by their neutrality, and their relationships with society are utilitarian and contractual. These individuals are often dynamic elements, lacking emotional attachment or deep belonging to society. They live on the margins of society in a state of alienation, and society isolates them to maintain the cohesion of its social fabric. Members of these groups are typically proponents of pantheistic and secular ideologies.

Dr. Al-Masiri used this model to analyze the history of Jewish communities, their cultural position, and their affiliations. He also studied the Zionist state as a functional, settler-colonial state. Although the book focuses on Jewish functional groups, it presents the concept of the “functional group” as a more explanatory and synthetic analytical tool than the traditional concept of “class.”