Reflections of Cultural and Intellectual Resistance in Samih al-Qasim poetry

Resistance is a vital part of contemporary Arab poetry. It can be said that resistance is not any more limited to military resistance; however, the 1980s and 1990s witnessd another type of resistance which can be referred to as cultural resistance. This type of resistance manifests itself in defending history, ethnic and national identity and civilization, raising awareness about the importance of resistance among Palestinian people. Samih Al-Qasim, a contemporary Palestinian poet, is one of the pioneers in the field of cultural resistance. He has devoted himself to the issue of national and ethnic identity, which the Zionist regime seeks to eliminate so that Palestinian people live in cultural, intellectual, and historical isolation. Al-Qasim believes in the power of words functioning socially and intellectually to raise awareness and effect change. The present study which is based on a descriptive-analytical approach investigates the features of cultural and intellectual resistance in Samih Al-Qasim’s poetry. It concludes that defending national, regional, and universal identity, resisting ignorance and treachery, condemning social classes, clinging to Islamic history, defending Arabic, and promoting some Islamic and Arab history all of which are part of Al-Qasim’s poetry. These aspects represent cultural resistance in the poety of Samih AlQasim. Keywords: contemporary Palestinian poetry, resisance, thought and culture, identity and belonging.