Event Title

Contested Land, Contested Representations: Re-visiting the Arab Revolt of 1936-1939 in Palestine

Presenter Information

Gabriel Brown, Oberlin CollegeFollow

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.

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.

Major

History

Advisor(s)

Clayton Koppes, History

Project Mentor(s)

Zeinab Abul-Magd, History

April 2016

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COinS
 
Apr 29th, 2:45 PM Apr 29th, 3:45 PM

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.