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The War in Gaza: History, Context, Dynamics

Farid Boussaid examined the current war in Gaza through the prism of International Relations. He situated the war in the changing regional dynamics of the Middle East and provided an historical account of the rise of nationalisms, Israel’s occupation politics, and Hamas. 

Erella Grassiani offered insights into the political context of Israel/Palestine through an anthropological lens. In this lecture, she showed how Israeli nationalism and militarism can be understood through their different manifestations, from the Israeli global security industry to the instrumental use of trees and forests in political practices.  

About the speakers

Farid Boussaid is an assistant professor in the University of Amsterdam’s Department of Political Science and an expert on International Relations in the Middle East. His research is focused on political economy and more specifically the role of international financial institutions in the region.   

Erella Grassiani is an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology, University of Amsterdam. She specializes in the study of militarism, violence, security, and arboreal nationalism in Israel/Palestine.