Last episode we saw how the notables of Palestine cleverly adjusted to the demands of modernity, emerging as winners in the Ottoman reform era. But just as the sky parted above the urban elite, storm clouds began to gather over the fellahin of the countryside. This, then, is the story of how modernity came crashing down upon the peasants of Palestine, creating a devastation so irreparable that its impact continues to be felt to this very day.  

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This interview originally aired on "Stories from Palestine", a great podcast where the host, Kristal, uncovers the mysteries of contemporary Palestine through interviews with Palestinian experts.

In this interview, Kristal and I discuss the emergence of Palestinian identity.

Enjoy!

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The period of the Tanzimat - a time of rapid, relentless, state-sponsored modernization - ran from 1840 to 1876. In less than four decades, a highly decentralized empire that stretched across three continents made a great leap toward becoming a modern nation-state.

Like all social, political, economic and technological disruptions, the modernization of Palestine came with its own set of winners and losers. This, then, is the part of the story where we finally get to see how Palestine's social classes responded to the shocks and tremors of the Tanzimat. 

In part 1 of the season 2 finale, we will see how the urban notables of Palestine responded to the challenges of modernity.

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I am joined by Dr. Usamma Makdisi to discuss his most recent book "The Age of Coexistence". In this book Dr. Usamma Makdisi explores the politics of pluralism during the Ottoman Empire and in the post-Ottoman Arab world. Rather than judging the Arab world as a place of age-old sectarian animosities, "Age of Coexistence" describes the forging of a complex system of coexistence, what Makdisi calls the “ecumenical frame.” He argues that new forms of antisectarian politics, and some of the most important examples of Muslim-Christian political collaboration, crystallized to make and define the modern Arab world.

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Dr. Andrew Delatolla is a professor of Middle Eastern studies at the University of Leeds. His book "Civilization and the Making of the State in Lebanon and Syria" explores the ever-shifting civilizational standards that were imposed upon the Ottomans by the West, and the implications that this had for the inhabitants of the region.

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In part two of "The Bloody Birth of the Arabs", we explore how the violence of 1860 gave voice to a new message:

"Hob al watan min al iman." Love of your nation is part of your faith.

This episode is a deep dive into the local and foreign attempts to reach the children of Palestine (and beyond) using European colonialism's most successful institution; the modern school.

In classrooms inside and outside of Palestine, local visionaries, Christian missionaries, and the Ottoman state found themselves competing for the hearts and minds of children, giving rise to the political movements of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

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In 1860, two communities in Mount Lebanon - who had coexisted for centuries - found themselves barreling toward a head on collision. With a clarity afforded by almost two centuries of hindsight, this episode explores the many ways in which this head-on clash was manufactured in the capitals of Europe.

This two part episode explores how this watershed moment in the history of the region gave rise to new ways of thinking about who the people of the region truly are.

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The Tanzimat reforms stretched from 1839 to 1876. In that time, the Ottoman empire engaged in a centralization campaign that completely altered the relationship between the Ottoman government and its subject population.

This episode picks up where we left off in season 1, with an impending clash between the Ottoman Empire and the Khedive, Mohammed Ali Pasha. From there, we explore how European ambition, Ottoman survivalism, and questions about the role of religion set the empire on a series of reforms that would change life in Palestine forever.

  

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Is diversity a problem, or a blessing?

For centuries, the Ottoman Empire was arguably the most diverse polity in the history of the world. But as the Ottoman crescent began to wane, the pressures of modernity forced the High Porte to reevaluate the benefits of its heterogeneity .

In the Season 2 opener, we shift our focus away from the particulars of life in Palestine to explore the nature of intercommunal relations in the Ottoman realm of the 19th century.

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A special announcement regarding season 2!

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Between 1831 and 1840, Palestine fell into the hands of Mohammed Ali Pasha, the Khedive of Egypt.

During his reign, the first spark of Palestinian peoplehood emerged.

In the season finale, we travel to the moment where the Palestinian people were born.

Be sure to follow @PreOccupationPod on Instagram for regular updates!

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On July 1st I spoke with Adar, creator of the Sulha network.

Adar and I have had numerous private conversations on the subject of peace, normalization, Palestinian identity, and the future of Palestine.

We decided to turn one of these conversations into a live session on his YouTube channel. This is the unedited audio of our conversation.

Enjoy!

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Between the 16th - 19th centuries, Europe experienced technological and social transformations that had a profound impact on Palestine.

Simultaneously, the era of the Strongman is coming to an end in Palestine, but not without a fight.

Join me, as I journey through Acre's final days as Palestine's most prosperous city.

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In 1799 Napoleon Bonaparte makes landfall in Jaffa. This represents the first saga in Palestine's long history with European colonialism.

Meanwhile, Palestine and its inhabitants continue to struggle and adapt to the country's everchanging landscape.

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In the 18th century, the northern district of Safad is the centre of Palestine's lucrative cotton trade.

At the peak of Safad's cotton boom, a small conflict over farming rights becomes the genesis story of modern Palestine's founding father.

Join me as I take you through the rise and fall of the most important Palestinian you've probably never heard of.

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“The inhabitants [of Nablus] are most proud of it, and think there is no place in the world equal to it.”

These words were spoken by a priest traveling through the holy land in the Ottoman era. Between the 16th - 18th centuries, Nablus was unquestionably the economic heart of Ottoman Palestine. Join me as I discuss the unique social arrangements that made this city so special.

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This episode is part one of a three part series covering early Ottoman Palestine (16th - 18th centuries).

In the 16th century a new power came to rule over Palestine. From the onset, this new dynasty would face unique challenges as it worked to rule the Muslim world.

Meanwhile, notable families attempt to navigate their new circumstances in one of the most important cities in the Muslim world.

Join me as I take you through early Ottoman Palestine and introduce you the families that ruled the holy city of Jerusalem.

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Where does the name Palestine come from? Who are the Palestinians? Are they "Arabs" who migrated over from neighboring countries, or are they they indigenous inhabitants of this hotly contested land?

In this opening episode, I scratch the surface on these important questions.

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