Instructions from the teacher
The goal of our final assignment is to provide students with an opportunity to prove their familiarity with the course’s subject matter, in as broad and detailed a manner as possible.
For your final paper, which is to be 10-12 pages long, you will focus on one of the topics that we have discussed throughout this semester. This could be a theme (such as antisemitism, Arab nationalism, etc.), or an event (the Six Day War, the Nakba, the Holocaust, etc.), or a genre of source that we have read (films, poetry, fiction, visual arts, etc.). Your paper should compare and contrast how Israelis and Palestinians express or articulate their historical narrative as relates to the topic you have chosen. You need to use 10 sources throughout your paper
You will formulate your own research question and then answer it (in a 10-12 page response). You will be graded based on how well you accomplish the task you set for yourself.
For example, if you decide to ask the question “How do Israeli and Palestinian visual cultures reflect each community’s historical memory of the Six-Day War?” I expect you to be able to provide specific examples of Israeli and Palestinian visual art (like painting, sculpture, photographs, films, etc.) that discuss the Six-Day War, and analyze how each community remembers and thinks about the Six-Day War as found in your chosen sources.
The research topic I’ve chosen is “How various forms of media (newspapers, political cartoons, photography, literature, etc) Influenced the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Exploring its Role in Perpetuating Antisemitism and Anti-Arab Sentiments over time
Essentially I want to discuss how media narratives influence public perceptions and attitudes towards the conflict. This can be done by examining the portrayal of key events, figures, and issues in Israeli and Palestinian media outlets, as well as international media coverage. The paper could analyze the role of media in shaping public opinion, perpetuating stereotypes, and either fostering understanding or exacerbating divisions between the two communities. By analyzing the content and framing of news articles, editorials, and opinion pieces in newspapers from both Israeli and Palestinian perspectives, you could examine how these sources contribute to the perpetuation of stereotypes and the amplification of divisive narratives over time. Moreover, this topic will explore how newspapers and photography have historically played a role in fueling antisemitic rhetoric and anti-Arab sentiments, both within the region and globally. By critically examining the language, imagery, and rhetoric used in print media and photographic representation, I will gain insight into the mechanisms through which prejudice and bias are disseminated and reinforced.
I can provide you with four sources to use in the paper, but you will have to find the rest of the sources yourself. I want sources that discuss the current effects of media as well as sources that discuss media from the past
