Title: THE HISTORY OF RESEARCH IN PALESTINE: COLONIAL LEGACIES, RESISTANCE NARRATIVES, AND ACADEMIC RESILIENCE
Author:
Rainer Feldbacher
Abstract:
This paper examines the enduring colonial legacies shaping Palestine’s research history, tracing the evolution of scholarly production from 19th-century Orient list and Zionist colonial exploration to 21st-century interdisciplinary research amid ongoing occupation. It analyzes how external powers (European empires, Israel) have weaponized research to legitimize dispossession, control cultural heritage, and marginalize Palestinian narratives, while also documenting Palestinian resistance through indigenous knowledge production. Key phases include colonial exploration (1865–1947), Nakba-era exile documentation (1948–1966), institutionalized nationalist scholarship (1967–1999), and contemporary interdisciplinary research (2000–present) characterized by digital innovation, global partnerships, and persistent occupation-induced challenges. The study highlights Palestinian researchers’ resilience in preserving collective memory and advancing academic autonomy despite systemic constraints, underscoring the political role of research in the struggle for self-determination.
Keywords: Palestine; colonial legacies; Orientalism; Nakba; academic resistance; occupation.
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