Arab and Jewish Questions: Geographies of Engagement in Palestine and Beyond

The "Jewish Question" in 19th-century Europe evolved into the "Arab Question" in Palestine due to Zionism, which created tensions between Arabs and Jews. This book explores the historical and contemporary entanglement of these two questions, highlighting the struggles for self-determination and political equality of Arab and Jewish populations.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 15 December 2020
Publisher: Columbia University Press

In the 19th century, Europe transformed the political standing of its Jewish communities into the "Jewish Question," as both Christianity and emerging nationalist movements perceived Jews as the ultimate "other." With the emergence of Zionism, this "question" shifted to Palestine and intensified under British colonial rule and in the aftermath of the Holocaust. Zionism's attempt to address the "Jewish Question" gave rise to the "Arab Question," which concerned the presence and rights of the Arab population in Palestine. However, for the most part, Jewish settlers either denied or dismissed the question they had created, detrimentally affecting both Arabs and Jews in Palestine and elsewhere.

This book brings together esteemed scholars to explore the intricate historical and contemporary connections between the Arab and Jewish questions. It offers critical examinations of Arab engagements with the question of Jewish rights alongside Zionist and non-Zionist Jewish perspectives on Palestinian identity and political rights. Together, the essays demonstrate that the Arab and Jewish questions, as well as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in which they have become entangled, are part of a shared and complex history. While they may have significant differences, the historical Jewish and Arab questions revolve around the political rights of oppressed groups and their inclusion within exclusionary political communities, a issue that continues to fuel tensions in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.

By shedding new light on the intricate relationships between Orientalism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, colonialism, and the stalemate in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, this book reveals the inseparability of Arab and Jewish struggles for self-determination and political equality. Contributors include Gil Anidjar, Brian Klug, Amal Ghazal, Ella Shohat, and Hakem.

Weight: 438g
Dimension: 152 x 227 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231199216