Dr. Malka Greenberg-Raanan – Hebrew University of Jerusalem

The Nature of Segregation in Divided Cities

Over the past decade, changes in the urban structure of Jerusalem, and especially the construction of the separation fence and the light rail line, have created greater interaction and friction between the ethno-national groups that inhabit the city. Israelis and Palestinians, ultra-Orthodox and non-ultra-Orthodox Jews, travel together on the light rail, travel in the same malls, and meet each other in the public spaces of the city. This process of undermining spatial separation in the West Jerusalem area raises new questions about the nature of segregation in divided cities.

. In her doctoral dissertation, Dr. Malka Greenberg-Ra’anan focused on the daily practices and movements of Palestinian and Israeli women throughout the city in order to examine the connection between daily movement and spatial perception by focusing on feelings of fear, belonging and security in the city. Her post-Doctoral research focused on the Mount Scopus campus in order to examine the geopolitical implications of the joint presence of Israelis and Palestinians in the campus’s academic space, as well as the use of varied research methods, including questionnaires, mental maps, GPS use, in-depth interviews and advanced detection methods. The research explores the patterns of activity of the city’s residents and the various meanings they attribute to the area, including perceptions of Jerusalemites regarding interactions in different spaces with the “others” population groups.

This enables us to understand the personal nature of boundaries within the city and the dialectical relationship between the different spaces. The study examines the complex nature of life in the “enclaves” and reveals how specific insights and experiences of mobility are interwoven with the different meanings given to the space, thus contributing to understanding how daily dynamics, mobility and absence contribute to the construction of the “special” Jerusalem identity.

For more information: https://urbanclinic.huji.ac.il/Malka_GR