During my studies for a master’s degree in Near and Middle Eastern Studies, I became increasingly interested in the portrayal of Jews and Christians in Arab Media. I was particularly fascinated by the storytelling techniques used in television drama series. In this context, I wrote my master’s thesis on the portrayal of Jews in Arab television series, selecting four Syrian series with Jewish characters in the context of the Ottoman rule in Damascus as case studies.
To further deepen my research, I decided to use my master’s thesis as a basis for my doctoral dissertation. I aim to develop a comprehensive study of the representation of Jews across Arab television series, documentaries, cinema, and social media. The dissertation will provide a detailed analysis of the portrayal of Jews in Arab media landscapes and explore the cultural, political and social implications of this portrayal.
Areas of Interest
The history and literature of Jews and Christians in the Middle East, television series, cinema, documentaries, and social media
Historical Periods of Interest
19th through 21th centuries CE
ella.ayoub@campus.lmu.de
Positions
2021
Student Assistant, “Independence and Diversity: Unknown Qaraite Bible Commentaries in Judeo-Arabic from the Early Classical Age”, Institute of Near and Middle Eastern Studies, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU), Munich
2019 – 2021
Student Assistant, “Biblia Arabica: The Bible in Arabic among Jews, Christians and Muslims”, Institute of Near and Middle Eastern Studies, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU), Munich
Education
since 2024
PhD Candidate in Judaic Studies, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU), Munich (thesis title: “From Shadows to Spotlight: Arab Jews in Cinema, Drama Series and Social Media”; supervisor: Ronny Vollandt)
2024
MA in Near and Middle Eastern Studies, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU), Munich (thesis title: “The Portrayal of the Jews in Contemporary Arab Television Drama Series. Syrien Series as Examplars”; supervisor: Ronny Vollandt)
2018 – 2021
BA in Near and Middle Eastern Studies, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU), Munich (thesis title: “The Legend of the Septuagint in Rabbinic Judaism and Jewish, Christian and Samaritan Historiography in Arabic”; supervisor: Ronny Vollandt)
