013_ Interview: context, consciousness, contingency

This is my interview with author and historian Dr. James Gelvin, professor of Middle Eastern history at UCLA. The episode is centered around the Israel and Palestine conundrum, but touches upon the rich and ancient culture of the region known as Palestine and the recent normalization of relations that the Trump administration announced with the state of Israel. There's also a detour into the state of the Middle East as a whole, if the Arab spring has run dry, how the middle east is the most food insecure region in the world, which segued into how neo-liberal policies create much civil and economic unrest. Along with thought provoking ideas on revolutions and nationalism. The Israel-Palestine Conflict: One Hundred Years of War -https://www.amazon.com/Israel-Palestine-Conflict-One-Hundred-Years/dp/110761354X/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=james+gelvin&qid=1607404338&sr=8-3 The New Middle East: What Everyone Needs to Know - https://www.amazon.com/New-Middle-East-Everyone-Needs/dp/0190653981/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=james+gelvin&qid=1607404338&sr=8-5 (0:00) - Episode Introduction (6:24) - What makes Dr. Gelvin Happy? (10:14) - Framing the Israel-Palestine Conflict (16:24) - Identity and Nationalism (20:27) - The Legacy of the Ottoman Empire (34:12) - The Creation of Nations (38:39) - The Six Day War and it's Relevance (46:03) - The Water Wars & The Arab Spring (56:46) - Has the Arab Spring Run Dry? Tunisia as an Outlier (59:27) - Understanding Neoliberalism and its Emergent Effects (1:17:23) - Oslo Accords and Trump's Impact (1:41:05) - Land for Peace Formula, Israel's Policy of Deterrence (1:44:01) - Saudi Arabia's Diversification Efforts