From a Boss to a Leader? Transformations of Representational Leadership in the Arab-Bedouin Minority in Israel

This article offers a theoretical perspective for understanding leadership of minority groups by exploring the unique challenges and strategies of formal leadership of minority populations. One challenge is to negotiate the tension between minority and majority populations. The second challenge is to transition from traditional leadership patterns to elected public leadership patterns. Ultimately, a new form of hybrid leadership is formed, wherein elected public representatives bridge these conflicting forces, and simultaneously represent the minority group as well as the state and the majority group. The Arab-Bedouin population in the Negev serves as a test case. Methodologically, the article is based on interviews with parliamentarians, mayors, and other elected public officials from the Bedouin community.