Cultural Resistance in the Palestinian context: Debating local Narratives and international experiences رسالة ماجستير

Abstract

This is an exploratory study of the Cultural Resistance concept in Palestine. ln specific, this thesis the researcher argue that kind of struggle is important in the context of building the national identity and one of main Palestinian tools in conflict transformation.

The field research adopted on Participatory Action Research (where the researcher work as general director of The Freedom Theatre), and the method of historical analysis out of the descriptive survey research, where the researcher used personal interviews as a data collection tool; the selected sample for this study consisted of 49 culturalists inside Palestine and outside, as interviews with keys persons as cultural-policies makers, which focus on comparative 5tudies between Palestine and another international cases such as South Africa, India, Brail, Morocco, and Algeria, and the important of presenting the concept of cultural resistance in light of the retreat of the Palestinian cause from its position in the map of political action in the world, by answering; what do we mean by cultural resistance in the local context and based on عاbal‎ experiences?

Cultural Resistance is part of a national cultural movement that harnesses creative power and artistic expression in the pursuit of justice and equality, to develop a vibrant and creative artistic community in Palestine. While emphasizing professionalism and innovation, the aim of cultural organization is to empower youth and women in the Arab community and to explore the potential of arts as an important catalyst for social change.

Cultural Resistance is a form of resi (it isn't a substitute, but it is complementary), which necessarily has social and organizational implications associated with the concept of change.

Although some of Palestinians believe that cultural resistance is confined to the practice of using

meanings and symbols to compete in the fight against dominant power. But also, it has a role in creating a collective identity based on the personality of the revolution against injustice, and a progressive cognitive knowledge tool based on deepening understanding, and analysis based on science, as a means of upgrading cultural policies. The most prominent recommendations made by the researcher include but are not limited to empower the Palestinian theaters and financing the theatrical sector by Palestine Liberation Organization, within the integration of common and socially beneficial interests, through developing a specialized curriculum for drama and acting, which contributes to the national mobilization process and the creation of a conscious resisting generation, by reinforcing the Palestinian cullural identity, and establishing of cultural networks, such as; PPAN (www.ppan.ps). The rescarcher also believes that it is the cultural resistance is a model of resistance in times of war and peace, and building the national identity and the local narrative, which need popular incubator in the context of an integrated process in coordination with different parties, according to the intellectual and ideological contributions of both Marx and Gramsci, based on Bertolt Brecht's creative work, especially in building the epic theater model. "Ihis thesis addresses the impact of cultural resistance on creating an attractive leadership situation for the various arts schools, as a catalyst. The cultural activists in occupied Palestinian territories follow a line loaded with diverse ideas and expressions as a bullet of inspiration to resist the poverty, wars, censorship, hatred, and evocation of the beauty of the arts in the imagination, authenticity, friendship and multiculturalism, and on the approach of cultural resistance, which was inscribed by the moguls of Palestinian resistance literature such as GhassanKanafani, Naji Al Ali, Tawfiq Ziad, Mahmoud Darwish, Samih Al Qasim, Rashid

Hussein and many more.