ABSTRACT
A widespread narrative among academic mizrahans tells about a certain political responsibility they hold as mizrahans. An early intimation of a mizrahanist mission is found in the founding constitution of the mizrahanist society, IOS, from 1949, where, in addition to promoting ‘interest’ and research, IOS set itself the political objective: ‘to cultivate relationships of culture and amity with the peoples of the East’. This chapter started to treat the concept of a ‘public mission’ that many subjects narrate, nurture and practise. First, the narrated mission expresses a cognizance, assumption or hope that MES students will shape the future of the society and state, and explicates an ambition for an ambiguous national intervention behind the scenes through habituation and authority-building. Second, the very ‘mission’ is interested. It holds evident returns in various forms of capital, and assumes and reinforces the expert’s and the expertise’s authority and status, which are also fostered by the uniqueness of local 'mizrahanut’.
