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From Nationalization to Transculturation; New Approaches to Palestinian Literature in Israel
Abstract
This paper examines a literary work by the Palestinian-Israeli authors; ʿatāllah Manṣūr, ʾayman Siksik, Saiyyd Qashūʿ and Salmān Maṣālḥa. Their work reflects a new, blooming transcultural identity for Palestinians living in Israel. The importance of such work is shown in two characteristics. First, the original work is produced in Hebrew rather than Arabic. This is an emerging writing style adopted by Palestinian- Israelis writers in the early 2000s, and it is central to my claim. Second, this contemporary writing style concerning identity is a significant departure from the nationalist style of prior Palestinian-Israeli authors, such as Maḥmūd Darwīsh, Sameyḥ-al Qāsim, ʾntūn Shammās, ʾimīl ḥabībī, Ghassān Kanaffānī, and others. Contradictory to ḥabībī, Darwīsh, Shammās, and al- Qāsim, who use their voices to solidify traditional national Palestinian identity, Manṣūr’s, Siksik’s, Qashūʿ’s and Maṣālḥa’s works tend to shift away from that nationalist literary dialogue. Their work illustrates a blend of social identities and introduces a new direction for Palestinian cultural identity in Israel. The obvious question here is why would these authors want to rejuvenate and deconstruct a very solid Palestinian national narrative? How do their writings alter our view of current Palestinian-Israeli literature? What does their writing tell us about their identity?
Discipline
Literature
Geographic Area
Palestine
Sub Area
Identity/Representation