Leiden University Student Repository

Polverini, Chiara (2024)

A Conceptual Biography of Uri Davis: The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict from the Perspective of an Anti-Zionist Palestinian of European and Jewish Origin and of the Hebrew Language Speaking Group

Master thesis | Middle Eastern Studies (MA)

This research explores the Palestinian-Israeli conflict from the perspective of Uri Davis, an anti-Zionist Palestinian Hebrew of Jewish origins. Davis is a scholar and activist who fully supports the Palestinian right to self-determination, and was the first Israeli citizen to call Israel an apartheid state. This study focuses on the Israeli intra-group dynamics. The first section is a conceptual framework dedicated to explaining the origins of Zionism: the development of its cognitive repertoire, its solidification as a habitus at a societal level, and its affirmation as the hegemonic power in Israel. The section concludes with an assessment of the counter-hegemonic, anti-Zionist struggle. The following chapter illustrates the emergence of three categories of Jewish resistance to Zionism: the one of Orthodox Jews, of the Political Left, and of Intellectuals and Humanists. Finally, through Uri Davis’ autobiography and secondary literature, the final chapter analyzes language use and...Show moreThis research explores the Palestinian-Israeli conflict from the perspective of Uri Davis, an anti-Zionist Palestinian Hebrew of Jewish origins. Davis is a scholar and activist who fully supports the Palestinian right to self-determination, and was the first Israeli citizen to call Israel an apartheid state. This study focuses on the Israeli intra-group dynamics. The first section is a conceptual framework dedicated to explaining the origins of Zionism: the development of its cognitive repertoire, its solidification as a habitus at a societal level, and its affirmation as the hegemonic power in Israel. The section concludes with an assessment of the counter-hegemonic, anti-Zionist struggle. The following chapter illustrates the emergence of three categories of Jewish resistance to Zionism: the one of Orthodox Jews, of the Political Left, and of Intellectuals and Humanists. Finally, through Uri Davis’ autobiography and secondary literature, the final chapter analyzes language use and deconstructs ideas and events to evaluate Davis’ contribution to the anti-Zionist discourse and cause.Show less

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Anti-Zionism

Author

Polverini, Chiara

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Supervisors

Professor Alp Yenen

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en