Global power structures and local conflicts: Identity and spatial dynamics in Bauman’s critique of capitalism

This study analyzes contemporary identity and spatial conflicts through the sociological perspective of Zygmunt Bauman, with a particular focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a case study of a spatially conditioned social conflict. Drawing on Bauman?s theories of liquid modernity, identity, capitalism and globalization, the analysis investigates how neoliberal capitalism and global power structures shape cultural identities, territorial tensions, and patterns of social exclusion. Employing a qualitative methodology based on theoretical analysis and critical discourse, the study connects Bauman?s diagnosis of modernity with the Israeli-Palestinian case, treating it as a paradigmatic example of global inequality. The primary aim is to highlight how global processes of capitalist redistribution of power are manifested in localized conflicts and identity narratives. The paper?s contribution lies in the interpretative application of Bauman?s concepts to a current geopolitical reality, thereby enriching the understanding of the social dynamics of contemporary conflict and advancing critical sociological theory on globalization, identity, and social suffering.