Date
5-2011
Department
History
Degree
Master of Arts (MA)
Chair
Homer Blass
Keywords
19th Century, 20th Century, Judiasm, Nationalism, Zionism
Recommended Citation
Michalek, Emily Michele, "Zionism: an Ethnic Nationalist Movement of the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries" (2011). Masters Theses. 169.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/169
Abstract
This research traces the cultural, religious and organizational roots of the Zionist movement from the First Zionist Congress in 1897 through the Balfour Declaration in 1917. Using newspaper articles, diaries and journals of Zionist leaders, archives from the World Zionist Organization, and various secondary sources, this thesis argues that the Zionist Movement from 1897-1917, should be considered one of the ethnic nationalist movements of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. It addition, it seeks to show that religion has a unique and essential role in unifying people groups toward nationalist tendencies. Using key elements of religious and cultural tradition, Zionist organizations brought recognition of the Zionist movement to the world stage and laid the foundation for the creation of the State of Israel.
