Why would British universities want to be like Harvard?

A visit to Jerusalem last week reminded me of the enduring value of sociology as a discipline, despite its lamentable politicisation in recent times. The founders of sociology – I think especially of Max Weber – would have been fascinated by Israeli society. In their politics, Israeli citizens are deeply divided: there are 12 parties represented in the current Knesset, of which seven belong to the governing coalition. One regularly encounters protestors outside government buildings, but no two groups seem to be shouting the same slogans. And yet Israelis are growing together more than they are coming apart – and not just because of the 7 October attacks. It is a commonplace of commentary that the ultra-Orthodox Haredi community has cut itself off from mainstream Israeli society, its men devoted to Talmudic study, its women to child-rearing, neither contributing to the economy nor serving in the military. As the Haredi represent more than 13 per cent of the population, this self-exclusion is a problem for a country at war. But things are changing. A retired general and a Haredi rabbi told me that by the end of the year there could be up to three Haredi units in the army, in addition to a growing number of self-defence units in the West Bank. Haredi firearm ownership and registration for paramilitary training have both soared.

Touring Mea Shearim, the Haredi neighbourhood, I was struck by the buzz of economic activity. Though ardent traditionalists about religious observance, one in every two ultra-Orthodox men I saw was on his mobile phone. The younger generation of Haredi women study and pursue careers. Given the size of Haredi families – the general and rabbi have more than 30 grandchildren each – these are consequential changes.