Israeli scientists in an American looking glass: Habitus, self-awareness and identity formation

Abstract

This article examines the impact of intercultural encounters on the identities of Israeli scientists interacting with their American counterparts. The cross-cultural experience in American academia compels Israeli scholars to identify the codes that structure this environment. Using these codes as a mirror, they reflect on their previous habits of thinking, speaking, and acting. Based on 144 interviews with Israeli scholars immersed in American academia, the study demonstrates how respondents become aware of their cultural habitus. What they once took for granted becomes evident when they engage with the American academic setting. The analysis reveals that by looking into this academic mirror, respondents gain insights into three cultural codes that shape their Israeli habitus. First, they recognize that, unlike their American colleagues who conform to hierarchical structures, they advocate for a non-compliant "hutzpah" attitude toward authority. Second, through their encounters with the pleasantries of American discourse, they become aware of their own tendency toward direct, even aggressive, speech. Third, as they observe American tendencies toward proceduralism and rule following, Israeli scientists begin to appreciate the value of their own non-conformism. While acknowledging the problematic aspects of their behavior, Israeli scholars view their foundational habitus as fostering critical thinking, originality, and creativity. Rather than merely integrating into American mores, they increasingly recognize their primordial cultural assets as integral to their intellectual strengths.