Agonism against the odds : Epistemic disruptions and bodies of dissent in Palestine and Israel

This dissertation explores the potential of performative protest to challenge epistemic violence and reconfigure antagonistic relations through agonistic engagement in the deeply asymmetrical and polarised context of Palestine and Israel. Drawing on multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork—including 35 interviews and 57 participant observations—conducted across diverse locations such as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Ramallah, and Haifa, the thesis examines how embodied acts of dissent, particularly within joint Palestinian/Israeli commemorations, Jewish Israeli anti-occupation/anti-apartheid protests, and Palestinian artistic performances, disrupt dominant narratives and claim space for marginalised and silenced epistemologies. Central to this analysis is the concept of agonistic epistemic disruptions, which frames these performative interventions as politically and epistemically generative, offering alternative subjectivities and reimagined political imaginaries.The research is situated at the intersection of three key theoretical fields: epistemic violence, counter-hegemonic and subversive performance, and agonistic theory. It demonstrates how dominant historical discourses—particularly surrounding the Nakba/War of Independence—are both contested and rearticulated through embodied protest, where the performative body becomes a site of resistance and meaning-making. This inquiry explores the tension between agonism (non-violent political contestation) and antagonism (destructive conflict) uncovering how resistance can emerge even under conditions of structural violence and epistemic silencing. The thesis makes three key contributions. First, it advances agonistic theory by integrating it with counter-hegemonic and performative resistance in contexts of extreme asymmetry. Second, it provides new empirical insights into peace activism and dissent within Israeli and Palestinian communities, focusing on the lived experiences and relational dynamics of activists navigating these contested terrains. Third, it develops an agonistic ethnographic methodology that foregrounds contestation and multiplicity within research encounters, emphasising the political nature of knowledge production. By exploring how dissenting performances interrupt dominant knowledge systems and challenge deeply rooted antagonisms, this study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the possibilities—and limitations—of agonistic engagement in violent, asymmetrical conflicts, highlighting the transformative potential of performative resistance.