PreOccupation: A Not-So-Brief History of Palestine

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.

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.

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.

A special announcement regarding season 2!

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

“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.