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! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/preoccupation-a-not-so-brief-history-of-palestine/donations ..read more

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, w ..read more

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. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/preoccupation-a-not-so-brief-history-of-palestine/donations ..read more

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 ..read more

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. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/preoccupation-a-not-so-brief-history-of-palestine/donations ..read more

A special announcement regarding season 2! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/preoccupation-a-not-so-brief-history-of-palestine/donations ..read more

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.    Support this podcast at — https ..read more

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. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/preoccupation-a-not-so-brief-history-of-palestine/donations ..read more

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! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/preoccupation-a-not-so-brief-history-of-palestine/donations ..read more

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! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/preoccupation-a-not-so-brief-history-of-palestine/donations ..read more