Subjectivity+&+Terrorism

This page is guided by the Harding & Pribram reading "On Losing Our Cool." Here we connect the "structure of feeling" to terrorism. There are typically more an one side to every story and each has a subjective truth.

Emotion plays a large role in how one perceives themselves and their actions. According to Raymond Williams, "the structure of feeling the felt sense of the quality of life at a particular place and time"(1975). Also, found in the Harding & Pribram reading, "emotions have tended to be ignored or denigrated within Western philosophical and scientific traditions"(2006). The authors use William's work and that of others "to argue for analysis of the place of emotions in the production of knowledge, culture, individual and collective identities, and power relations." Using this reading as a thought framework, we take a look at the emotions that have fueled one of the longest stand-offs between nations that has resulted in major, terroristic violence: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In the case of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, both nations and the United States have a specific views of their position and neither considers themselves to be "terrorists." "Emotions produce culture and are not simply the reverberations of other social formations" (Harding & Pribram, 2006). The authors also cite Grossberg who's work on affective economies also relates to this subject. Affect in this context refers to "one form of 'psychic energy' [that] is the coloration or passion within which one's investments in, or commitments to, the world are made possible"(1996). It can be suggested based on these claims that: the Israeli culture of defensiveness in this conflict can be traced back to feelings of abandonment, the U.S. feelings of superiority has produced a culture of global "barging in," so to speak, and the Palestinians are getting little support which breeds feelings of voicelessness. All of these emotions and feelings collude to create one huge storm of a social, political, economic mess.

This article + video from CNN highlights some of the background issues and explain the [|"Two Viewpoints; One Tragic Outcome] media type="youtube" key="R_qk3xKJ7Cs" width="560" height="315"

Inspired by the Maurice Merleau-Ponty reading and the theme carried out through the original post on subjectivity, we have compiled a [|photo album] of art inspired by and critical of the current Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Each piece has its own voice and conveys an emotion about the situation. Not all of them are painted but the same sentiment expressed by the quote "now art, especially painting, draws upon this fabric of brute meaning which operationalism would prefer to ignore. Art and only art does so in full innocence" (1964).

media type="youtube" key="Kiyyp9cZdY0" width="560" height="315" ===In this clip we see a clear media bias that affects the subjectivity within the Israeli and Palestinian conflict. In regards to the United States media, we have a clear investment into our objectives of who is portrayed in a positive manner (Israel) and who is villianized (Palestine). Harding and Pribram (2004), state that, "emotions have played a significant role in social, political, and epistemological configurations of modernity" (p. 865). The emotion we attach to who deserves our sympathy/support and who is detested/hated is shaped in part through the emotional subjectivities the media places on various parties within the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.===

===Zionism: a movement for (originally) the re-establishment and (now) the development and protection of a Jewish nation in what is now Israel. It was established as a political organization in 1897 under Theodor Herzl, and was later led by Chaim Weizmann. The establishment of modern Israel is based on a Zionist political philosophy.===

http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.714866

===In the link above is a wonderful article that explores the history behind Zionism and the settlement of Jews after WWII in Palestinian land. In thae article it talks about how Palestine, was viewed as ideal and a rightful place for the resettlement of Jews. This view is subjective as the Palestinians and other people already living there did not share this view. Lupton (1998), writes that emotions are historical, political and social, in that they effect and cause social and political effects. This is plain to see in regards to Zionism. The emotions expressed in the article linked are that because of all the travesties that the Jews have been through in history, makes them deserving of a home state of their choosing without any regards to the Palestinians already living there.===



===Another factor that lends itself to subjective perceptions held in the Israeli and Palestinian conflict is the exorbitant amount of Federal Aid to Israel. Clicking on the picture will take you to a webpage that provides information on aid to Israel instead of other poor countries and how it fits into the Israeli and Palestinian conflict, furthering the United States objective to portray Israel as a valuable ally in need of aid. Williams (1979), states that certain social groups are prescribed certain values at specific historical moments. We see this in the case of===