Representing Jerusalem: a critical analysis of the role of Orient House in the Constitution of Palestinian National Identity, 1993-1999
Date
2000
Authors
Pritchard, Denise Diane
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Abstract
In the twentieth century, the struggle for political control of Jerusalem arises from historical tensions expressed in contemporary conflicts between two national groups Israelis and Palestinians- representing three religions - Jewish, Muslim, and Christian. For both Israelis and Palestinians, Jerusalem is the religious, cultural, and political centre of their nation. In this thesis, I take a critical geopolitics approach to analyze media representations of the struggle between Israelis and Palestinians over the political activity at a specific Palestinian site in Jerusalem, Orient House, between 1993-1999. I investigate the construction of national identity and the role of Jerusalem in the constitution of Palestinian national identity. In approaching critical geopolitics, I examine material and discursive activities and argue for the importance of boundaries in the study of national identity. In particular, I examine the strategies used to draw boundaries in order to secure a specific identity.