Doctoral Dissertation Research: Contested Waterscapes: Constructing Israeli Water and Identity

New York University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

Project Overview The project examines the Israeli National Water Carrier, the largest water project in Israel, and how its creation and evolution reflect several aspects of national identity including state building, state power structures, and Israeli-Palestinian relations. The goal is to demonstrate through archival research that the National Water Carrier served to foster the Israeli state with a strong centralized government through techno-scientific development. Intellectual Merit The topic is well situated within STS and stands to make a significant contribution to studies about water management from the perspective of techno-science and actor-network theory. The topic is timely and relevant to the ongoing conflicts over natural resources, state identity, and development; there are no prior studies of the National Water Carrier from this perspective, and water is increasingly scarce in the region. Broader Impacts The results of this research will be relevant for a diverse audience including historians, STS scholars, area studies specialists, political geographers, and others. They could also have an impact on relevant Israeli and Palestinian audiences.