New Books in Middle Eastern Studies Tahrir Hamdi, "Imagining Palestine: Cultures of Exile and National Identity" (Bloomsbury, 2022)
Mar 12, 2025
Tahrir Hamdi, a Professor of Resistance Literature at the Arab Open University, delves into the fluidity of national identities and the Palestinian struggle in her work, 'Imagining Palestine'. She passionately illustrates the significance of literature and personal narratives in expressing cultural identity amid exile. Topics include the intersection of naming and identity, the impact of verbicide in manipulating narratives, and the pressing need for decolonizing education in the Arab world, all while highlighting the interconnectedness of resistance and liberation efforts.
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Hamdi's Palestinian Roots
- Tahrir Hamdi grew up immersed in Palestinian liberation stories and activism with her family, especially her father who was a founder of the Arab Nationalist Movement.
- Her upbringing deeply influenced her scholarly work and led her to write Imagining Palestine as a multidisciplinary study of Palestinian identity and resistance.
Imagining as Resistance and Agency
- Imagining Palestine is an act of resistance and agency, not defeatism, envisioning liberation beyond the current colonial status quo.
- This imagination fuels planning and resistance, drawing on literary and political works to theorize hope and change for Palestine.
Language as Colonizing Tool
- Verbicide is the deliberate manipulation or erasure of language to distort Palestinian history and reality.
- Terms like 'conflict' or 'West Bank' soften the brutal nature of settler-colonialism and erase Palestinian existence.
