This thesis analyses how, if at all, the Israeli claim to Jerusalem has evolved since 1948. To answer this question, it compares discourse in The Early Years (1948-1967) and The Post Six-Day War...Show moreThis thesis analyses how, if at all, the Israeli claim to Jerusalem has evolved since 1948. To answer this question, it compares discourse in The Early Years (1948-1967) and The Post Six-Day War Era (1967-2018) periods within three key areas – political, cultural and legal developments. The results show a surface-level evolution of the claim in certain aspects such as the growth of messianism and fundamental legal changes. However, amidst this superficial evolution, a profound substantive consistency prevails across both periods in political and cultural discourse, where the essence remains unchanged, particularly evidenced in the enduring national consensus on the issue and conceptualisation of Jerusalem in the national identity. The implications of this reinforce the notion of a united Jerusalem as a symbolic bedrock of Israel’s existence, historical legitimacy and foundational narrative.Show less
The relief of Palestinian refugees has been handled by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) since the 1950s to our days. Over seven decades of existence, the...Show moreThe relief of Palestinian refugees has been handled by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) since the 1950s to our days. Over seven decades of existence, the agency has been under various criticisms for its unconditional commitment to Palestinian refugees on the one hand, and for its failures to address the refugees’ issue on the other. As a result, the agency is often represented as an obstacle to the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by some and as an essential part of the solution by others. The aim of the present study is therefore to investigate the discourses employed by influential stakeholders to participate in the construction of a public discourse on UNRWA’s activities. Moreover, building on the public sphere conceptualized by Habermas, many have argued that the emergence of new technologies and globalized communications revolutionized the public debate, making it transnational. In this sense, social networking platforms like Twitter constitute actual parts of the digital public sphere where “social-influencers” compete to impose their interpretation of the public debate and to strengthen existing narratives. Using qualitative discourse analysis, this paper describes the diversity of strategies employed by certified users to participate in reputation narratives as well as the type discourse associated with their position in the public sphere.Show less
John M. Owen argues that liberal ideas prod liberal states into war with illiberal states but does not explain or explore why this is the case. This thesis argues that this ‘why-question’ has thus...Show moreJohn M. Owen argues that liberal ideas prod liberal states into war with illiberal states but does not explain or explore why this is the case. This thesis argues that this ‘why-question’ has thus far remained unanswered altogether and as such takes the first step in bridging this academic gap. The research has been conducted using two main methods: an interview with Owen about his theory and a case study analysis of the 1956 Suez Crisis. The research found that historical analogies and, to a lesser extent, a belief in the moral righteousness of liberalism can cause liberal elites within liberal states to behave more violently towards their perceived illiberal counterparts, thus creating the circumstances for war to break out.Show less
