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Messiri and the Jews: A Case of Encompassment
Abstract
Until his recent passing, the Egyptian scholar Abd al-Wahhab al-Masiri (1938-2008) was the Arab world’s most prominent public intellectual in the field of Jewish studies. His "Encyclopedia of Jews, Judaism and Zionism" is a key Arabic work of reference. His works therefor demand thorough study. A proper understanding of Masiri’s representation of Judaism and Zionism could also enable us to test the common view that the Arab world is characterized by an all-pervasive Antisemitism. This paper offers a study of Messiri’s oeuvre from the perspective of Identity/Alterity Studies. Using Baumann & Gingrich (Grammars of Identity/Alterity: A structural approach 2004), the case will be made that Messiri’s representation of Judaism actually qualifies as ‘encompassment by hierarchical subsumption’. The paper will consequently analyse the discursive logic behind this image of Judaism.
Discipline
Other
Geographic Area
Egypt
Sub Area
Identity/Representation