Water as a Weapon: An Ecofeminist Reading of Sabrina Mahfouz’s "A History of Water in the Middle East" and ‘These Bodies of Water".

This thesis aims to answer the question of “Can water be used as a weapon?” In a modern world, where human beings have invented numerous ways to harm those whom they deemed as inferior to themselves, it is no surprise that war and weapons can take unexpected forms as well. Particularly, in a world of imperialism. Sabrina Mahfouz authored several texts in which she explored the dynamics of water and how water shaped the borders of the world, along with the political climate. Notably, her play A History of Water in the Middle East is an important example of how she utilizes her mixed background and her close proximity to the Middle East to unravel the not-so-talked-about reality of the tension in regards to the water resources in the region, and the role of the British Empire in relation to the said tension. Taking into consideration that the play makes use of the practices of the ‘Theatre of the Real’, the thesis aims to draw a connection between the stage and reality. Additionally, this thesis sheds light on the blurred and intertwined boundaries between women, culture, and nature itself through an ecofeminist lens. Furthermore, Mahfouz dives deeper into the stories of women and water in her non-fiction, semi-autobiographic work These Bodies of Water. Both of these texts are the main sources for the thesis, on account of both of the texts allowing the reader into the writer’s mind and a unique understanding of the issues at hand. This thesis provides an examination of both works, through an analysis of ecofeminism and postcolonialism, while also tackling the nature of water by highlighting its various historical usages of water in distinct cultures.