Sunday, October 30, 2011

Reading Response 12

I very much enjoyed the selection from Galit Hasan-Rokem. Of our readings, Not Mother of All Cities speaks most to my perception of the conflict. As a history student, I tend to overemphasize historical considerations when regarding contemporary issues; however, recognition of history is absolutely crucial for the city to see peace. Thus, I appreciate Hasan-Rokem's emphasis on the necessity or recognizing the city's broader historical continuum. The contemporary conflict is the product of shortsightedness, an egotistical refusal to acknowledge how one "got here". Hasan-Rokem's denouncing of the the anthropomorphic consideration of Jerusalem is especially apt. Creation of some sort of family/lover bond between citizen and city is inherently exclusive and prohibitive. Ideally, more individuals would recognize this, as if the last few decades or so haven't been evidence enough.

Suad Amiry's Sharon and My Mother in Law is a nice change of pace as far as reading material is concerned. I very much enjoyed Amiry's excellent blending of darker humor and introspection. One gains a sense, even for a moment, of the maddening qualities of life under occupation. These recollections truly actualize a previously murky and undefined situation. The results are seemingly unbelievable. The vet chapter particularly epitomizes the conflict, which seems to have progressed into some sort of twisted comedy. In general, I enjoy reading people's histories or simple diaries; they provide an excellent context unavailable through other means.




Tentative Project Outline:

I. Introduction
a. Sport as societal expression (e.g power dynamics)
b. Historical account of sport as divisive/uniting
i. WW1 "friendly" / "Football War"
II. Sport at national/international scale
a. International clubs
i. Composition
1) Maccabi Haifa
ii. Divided teams
1) Player dynamics
iii. Cases
1)Israeli Hapoel Abu Ghosh - Mevasseret Zio
2) Abna Sakhnin
b. National Football as case
i. Politicized sports
1) AFC Exile
ii. National team composition
iii. Player experience
1) Identity with ethnicity/religion relative to state.
III. Sport in Jerusalem & Occupied territories
a. Multifaceted
i. Religious opposition / social component
b. Divisive
i. Beitar Jerusalem
1) Politicized sport - "apologies"
2) Supporter behavior
c. Uniting/normalizing
i. Jerusalem Boxing Club
ii. Twinned Peace Sport School
iii. PACES
IV. Conclusion

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