A Palestinian Woman’s Writings

Abstract

Despite their success as agents in social, political, economic, and cultural spheres, Palestinian women face tremendous hardships due to Israeli occupation and the patriarchal social and political structure. One issue that the literature has not sufficiently explored is how women use various forms of art to make sense of these obstacles and navigate the struggles of daily life. By narrating the story of one Palestinian woman and her relationship with writing, this article explores Palestine women’s attempts to redefine public space and discourse while reflecting on broader questions of the relationships between art, agency, gender, and power. The article sheds light on how art can be mobilized both to navigate daily obstacles and challenge the hegemonic power of official institutions and to induce paradigm shifts within the genre of writing itself. The article argues that writing can be considered a tool both for managing everyday life and for confronting larger questions of power imbalance and enforced suffering.