Tami Amanda Jacoby

FEMINISM, NATIONALISM, AND DIFFERENCE: REFLECTIONS ON THE PALESTINIAN WOMEN'S MOVEMENT

Abstract This article draws from the Palestinian womens movement as a point of entry into reconceptualizing the relationship between nationalism, feminism, and difference in the Middle East. I employ postmodern concepts to explore the diversity of a female nationalist agency through processes and symbols of national liberation and Sharia personal status law. How are representations of masculinity and femininity articulated within these frameworks of a subordinate nationalism? Is national liberation an effective forum for negotiating the diversity of womens agency in the nation? What are the distinct constraints and opportunities of feminisms that are implicated in national liberation struggle, religious contestation, and conditions of acute international conflict? Finally, what are the implications of this case study for a broader revision of feminist theory and practice?

A theory of victimhood: politics, conflict and the construction of victim-based identity

What (and who) is a victim? In contemporary violent conflicts, the construction of grievance-based identity is a fundamentally contested process as the lines between victim and perpetrator are blurred by ongoing cycles of belligerence and retribution. As victims are incorporated into broader political campaigns, it becomes nearly impossible to separate the victim from the politics. The ubiquity of victims in international politics is a serious challenge to International Relations theory as categories of victim and perpetrator are generally treated as ‘prior or external to analysis’ instead of as propositions for further inquiry. This article formulates a political theory of victimhood driven by a distinction between victimisation as an act of harm perpetrated against a person or group, and victimhood as a form of collective identity based on that harm. It proposes a sequence of five stages that victims experience from the act of victimisation to the recognition of victim-based identity: (1) structural conduciveness, (2) political consciousness, (3) ideological concurrence, (4) political mobilisation and (5) political recognition. The article explores the stages with concrete examples and offers three main challenges for future research. First, as an identity, victimhood is more prominent in societies that recognise justice. Second, victimhood accompanies struggles for recognition. Third, victim rivalries obfuscate straightforward analysis of victimhood in conflict zones.

Redefining security in the Middle East

1. Introduction: Redefining Security in the Middle East - Tami Amanda Jacoby and Brent Sasley 2. Conceptualizing Security in the Middle East: Israel and a Palestinian State - Lenore G. Martin 3. Between Militarism and Moderation in Israel: Constructing Security in Historical Perspective - Jonathan B. Isacoff 4. Between Islam and Islamism: A Dialogue with Islam as a Pattern of Conflict Resolution and Security Approach vis-a-vis Islamism - Bassam Tibi 5. Gender Relations and National Security in Israel - Tami Amanda Jacoby 6. Understanding Environmental Security: Water Scarcity, the 1980s Palestinian Uprising, and Implications for Peace - Jeffrey Sosland 7. Political Islam and the Middle East Peace Process: A Veiled Threat - Thomas Butko 8. The Effects of Political Liberalization on Security - Brent E. Sasley

Bridging the barrier : Israeli unilateral disengagement

Preface Introduction Evolution of separation in Israel/Palestine The separation barrier - structure, routing and challenges Israeli perspectives Palestinian perspectives Legal challenges and the ICJ The barrier in Jerusalem Lessons from Lebanon Concluding remarks Bibliography Index.

Jihadi brides at the intersections of contemporary feminism

Abstract Contemporary feminism has reached a difficult crossroads, both in its theory and practical application. Feminist commitment to diversity and inclusion has opened space for women not traditionally considered in feminism’s domain and prompted new understandings of the forms of power against which women struggle. However, the very inclusivity of contemporary feminism now raises a series of unresolved issues. What does it mean to be a feminist today? What are the criteria for integration within a feminist agenda? And who determines the boundaries of inclusion and exclusion? This article uses the case of Jihadi brides, women who travel to join the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, to test the limits of feminist boundaries. That these women have embarked on a radical political campaign against the West prompts further revisioning of the relationship between women, gender, and feminism. In place of a unified feminist politics, women are involved today on both sides of the global conflict between Western industrialized democracy (and its allies) and violent jihadism. In this context, should feminism include all women, even those who fight against Western values and thus the rights of other women? Should feminism tolerate the intolerant? Against the background of debates about intersectionality, identity politics, and post-structuralism, this article raises the specter of a feminism that is not only non-Western but, importantly, anti-Western and considers its implications for a feminist reconstructive agenda.

Canadian peacebuilding in the Middle East: Case study of the Canada fund in Israel/Palestine and Jordan

Post-Cold War Canadian foreign policy is characterized by new methods and philosophies of engagement in international zones of conflict. This reorientation takes place against the background of new forms of armed conflict and new sources of insecurity in the international system in the last few decades. In the past, Canada’s stature in diplomatic and peacekeeping initiatives was attributed to its designation as a “middle power” (Cooper et al 1999), and its reputation for impartiality in international disputes. Traditional Canadian peacekeeping was generally limited to third party intervention in wars between states, such as mediating between hostile parties, bringing them to the negotiating table, and helping to monitor a negotiated settlement. By way of contrast, post-Cold War Canadian initiatives differ both in scope and context. First, they address not only protracted armed conflicts that take place between states, but also conflicts of an ethnic/communal and/or tribal nature that occur within and across state borders. Second, they involve not only the military aspects of conflicts, but also the socio-political issues related both to conflict and peace negotiations in post-conflict situations. The current international context has brought about new challenges and opportunities for Canadian foreign policy development. This article explores the transition in Canadian foreign policy from peacekeeping to peacebuilding based on a case study of the Canada Fund for Dialogue and Development (CFDD) in Israel/Palestine and Jordan. The primary intent of this fund in the Middle East is to promote mutual respect and understanding through dialogue on issues related to the Peace Process between Israelis and Arabs.1 The intention of this research is to determine the extent to which Canadian-funded projects have fulfilled these goals. This study is based on fieldwork in Israel, Palestine and Jordan, and on a series of interviews conducted by the author, between July 10 and August 10, 2000 in the field. The unique contribution of this research to Canadian foreign policy development is in assessing how a particular initiative has played out in a specific zone of conflict and in relation to the local and indigenous concerns of recipients of Canadian funding. This methodology is intended to provide necessary feedback into the policy process for enhancement of future foreign policy goals in a way that weds the interests of both the Canadian government and its local allies in the field. 83

Terrorism versus liberal democracy: Canadian democracy and the campaign against global terrorism

Modern terrorism presents a tremendous threat to states around the world, both authoritarian and democratic. However, states differ as to how they respond to terrorist threat. This article explores the effects of counter‐terrorism on the Canadian domestic arena. The democratic and multicultural nature of Canadian society has raised a number of questions about the capacity of individual rights and group identities to prosper within the confines of counter‐terrorist legislation and actions. During counter‐terrorism campaigns, states impinge more heavily on their citizens and require individuals and groups to cede a degree of their freedoms in order to provide leverage in combating terrorists. The dilemma for democratic states is to respond to terrorism within the domestic framework of constitutional regulations and the rule of law. This dilemma is something that all liberal democratic countries will face as terrorist networks spread internationally and seek to destabilize cherished civic institutions and societies.