Franziska Weinmann, M.A.

Dissertation Topic: Fantasies of the Mediterranean: Jewish-Israeli Imaginations about the Land and the Sea

Abstract: Integration in the Mediterranean space constitutes a recurring theme in debates about Israel’s spatial belonging. The Mediterranean Sea serves as a projection of diverse imaginations in Jewish-Israeli conceptions of the land and the sea. Besides various historical narratives, some of which delineate a Jewish relation to the Mediterranean before statehood was established, recurring motifs are linked to popular themes in the field of Israeli literature or music. The different constructions of this space are reflective of a heterogeneous field of various actors, who access this spatial format based on religious, political, or cultural intentions. Thus, the Mediterranean notion serves as one recurrent motive in a complex debate about Israel’s spatial belonging which crosses Israel’s society in different ways. The core of the project seeks to trace the historical change and impact of Jewish-Israeli spatial notions in their relation to the Mediterranean region. Putting the different narratives in contrast, analysing them regarding their cultural and political background, and uncovering the linkages among them lies at the heart of this endeavor.

Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Michael Brenner

Major Subject: Neuere und Neueste Geschichte