Over the last four years, Entangled Otherings workshops have explored the relations between antisemitism, Islamophobia and racism. During this time, these relations have become more complex in public discourse, in policy, and in the rise of violent attacks on minorities, migrants and freedom of expression. Particular escalation followed the Hamas attack on Israel and the war in Gaza from October 2023 onward, which led the International Court of Justice and the UN Commission of Inquiry to conclude that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.
For the final meeting in the series, we will focus on Palestine as a symbol, and on its symbolic meaning in addressing entangled forms of injustice. “Palestine as a symbol” refers to something larger than the geographical place itself. We aim to understand how and why Palestine—as a place, an idea and a symbol—mobilizes such a wide range of groups, some of whom are not regularly engaged with Palestine directly. These groups may include internationalist movements, Christian organisations in Europe, Indigenous communities in New Zealand and Fiji, and Dalit communities in India.
We also ask how Palestine as a symbol relates to the Holocaust as a symbol—another event addressed in multidirectional ways because of its resonance with the genocide of European Jews and other genocidal campaigns.
We welcome contributions from scholars at all career stages and from across the humanities and social sciences. We are particularly interested in work on Palestinian intellectuals and artists who engage with these questions; on the processes through which such symbols are produced; on how these symbols relate to others; on the symbolic economies that sustain them; and on how these symbolic forms shape policy, freedom of inquiry and expression, and activism.
Proposals should be submitted via the form (see below) and must include an abstract of 250–300 words. The deadline is March 25, 2026.
Resources
As part of the Entangled Otherings series, this workshop is supported by a grant from the Cambridge–DAAD Hub for German Studies. It may be possible to claim reimbursement for direct costs such as travel and accommodation, up to a fixed maximum. We will review allocations on the basis of submissions and advise individuals accordingly.
