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Innovation is generally associated with the creation of something new and with economic growth, and is often understood in relation to modernity and its prime social site, 'the city'. Accordingly, the coupling of innovation and rural areas may seem incongruent. Drawing on ethnographic research on Israel's high‐tech scene, we analyse innovation centres located primarily in kibbutzim in the northern and southern regions of the country. This allows us to juxtapose the ultra‐modernist and individualist ethos of the creative actor against a more communal understanding of social life. In these sites, we observe not just the imitation of 'urban' innovation, but also the strong influence of the community and the contribution of local knowledge in the design of technologically innovative products and services. Examining what is taking place outside urban centres thus enables a more complete and nuanced understanding of the interplay between innovation and society at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper traces the significant change that has occurred in the balance between offense and defence in Israel's 'hybrid' military strategy in recent decades. Relying on fresh materials concerning the organizational, doctrinal, and procurement processes of Israel's military, we identify a shift from offense towards defence as the preferred way to protect Israel in the face of new security threats. We also show that due to rapidly changing security challenges, limited resources, and the military's organizational culture, this change has been gradual, incremental, improvised, and largely informal. We propose that similar changes may characterize other states facing new security challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]