Contested Land, Contested Representations: Re-visiting the Arab Revolt of 1936-1939 in Palestine
Location
King Building 339
Document Type
Presentation
Start Date
4-29-2016 2:45 PM
End Date
4-29-2016 3:45 PM
Abstract
My project examines contested representations of the Arab Revolt of 1936-1939 in Palestine and the interests of the groups that constructed these representations. I use archival documents, historical newspapers, and memoirs to demonstrate that Palestinians tended to portray the conflict as a defining moment of national unity, while British and Zionist leaders understood it as a series of violent, criminal disturbances. My thesis explores Palestinian motivations and tactics in order to challenge characterizations of rebels as “extremists.” I argue that the revolt’s failure allowed British and Zionist representations to emerge as the hegemonic discourse reaching English-speaking audiences about the rebellion.
Recommended Citation
Brown, Gabriel, "Contested Land, Contested Representations: Re-visiting the Arab Revolt of 1936-1939 in Palestine" (04/29/16). Senior Symposium. 7.
https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/seniorsymp/2016/presentations/7
Major
History
Advisor(s)
Clayton Koppes, History
Project Mentor(s)
Zeinab Abul-Magd, History
April 2016
Contested Land, Contested Representations: Re-visiting the Arab Revolt of 1936-1939 in Palestine
King Building 339
My project examines contested representations of the Arab Revolt of 1936-1939 in Palestine and the interests of the groups that constructed these representations. I use archival documents, historical newspapers, and memoirs to demonstrate that Palestinians tended to portray the conflict as a defining moment of national unity, while British and Zionist leaders understood it as a series of violent, criminal disturbances. My thesis explores Palestinian motivations and tactics in order to challenge characterizations of rebels as “extremists.” I argue that the revolt’s failure allowed British and Zionist representations to emerge as the hegemonic discourse reaching English-speaking audiences about the rebellion.
Notes
Session II, Panel 10 - Border Crossings: Case Studies From Palestine, Kenya, and Iran
Moderator: RaShelle Peck, Faculty-in-Residence, Africana Studies
Full text thesis available here.