A world in shades of color sounds like a welcome improvement over the black–white binary through which it is often viewed. These colors, however, are usually arranged in a hierarchical order rather than merely as a broad spectrum, compartmentalizing people and ascribing to them characteristics, status, resources, and rights, in accordance with their color.
While in the Israeli context the term “race” is more often replaced by “ethnicity,” “community,” or “minority,” many of the dynamics involved are similar to those present in conflicts involving race. Gradations of color,
metaphorically speaking, are prominent in Israeli society internally, as well as in relation to its surrounding neighbors.
This essay attempts to problematize this color breakdown even further, and include additional factors and dynamics that intersect with—and further complicate—the color hierarchy. These include the interrelations betweenvarious “communities”/”ethnicities,” the intersectionality of power and privileges, and—importantly—the ramifications of these to the pursuit of greater social justice.