Too often, the study of Israel/Palestine has focused on elite actors and major events. Struggle and Survival in Palestine/Israel takes advantage of new sources about everyday life and the texture of changes on the ground to put more than two dozen human faces on the past and present of the region. With contributions from a leading cast of scholars across disciplines, the stories here are drawn from a variety of sources, from stories passed down through generations to family archives, interviews, and published memoirs. As these personal narratives are transformed into social biographies, they explore how the protagonists were embedded in but also empowered by their social and historical contexts. This wide-ranging and accessible volume brings a human dimension to a conflict-ridden history, emphasizing human agency, introducing marginal voices alongside more well-known ones, defying “typical” definitions of Israelis and Palestinians, and, ultimately, redefining how we understand both “struggle” and “survival” in a troubled region.
Mark LeVine is Professor of History at UC Irvine. He is the author of An Impossible Peace, Overthrowing Geography (UC Press, 2005) and Heavy Metal Islam. Gershon Shafir is Professor of Sociology at UC San Diego and Director of its Institution for International, Comparative and Area Studies. He is the author of Land, Labor and the Origins of the Israel-Palestine Conflict, National Insecurity and Human Rights (UC Press) and Being Israeli, winner of MESA’s Hourani Award.
"This wonderful volume illuminates the human dimensions of the complex and often painful history of modern Palestine/Israel by vividly relating the life stories of a variety of individuals and exploring how their experiences have been profoundly shaped by the recurrent struggles over this land. It highlights the importance of human agency in shaping history, but also the impact of historical events and processes on individuals’ life choices. This book is not only a valuable resource for teaching but is also of great value to anyone interested in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and in the perspectives and destinies of those who have lived in its shadows."—Zachary Lockman, New York University.
"This book is a welcome and essential addition to the extensive literature on the conflict in Israel/Palestine that tends to overlook the individual and their personal experiences. It is through these personal stories that one best appreciates the complex realities of this land. Each of the powerful narratives chosen by the contributors to this valuable volume is like a microcosmos that teaches us about the diverse realities in Israel and Palestine as a whole. This is a refreshing and original contribution to a field of inquiry that is craving for such a novel approach."—Ilan Pappé, author of The Rise and Fall of a Palestinian Dynasty
472 pp.6 x 9
9780520262539$34.95|£30.00Paper
Sep 2012