Insurgent Memories: Decolonizing the History of Palestine

“Agriculture and the Social Fabric of Everyday Life in the Palestinian South: Cases from Bethlehem and Hebron” is a student-led project explores shifts in modes of agriculture and subsistence in the southern West Bank by tracing the seams of memory and mobility of Palestinians who are continuously trespassing the agricultural past and the arid present. This entails delving into stories of women vegetable vendors, small farmers and agricultural workers who are still dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods. 

The project began with a workshop led by Saad Amira called “Insurgent Memories: Decolonizing the History of Palestine” which took place at Dar Jacir on November 30, 2022. The workshop focused on oral history in Palestine, discussing testimonies and personal memoirs of Palestinians. The talk was followed by a discussion with Saad, students, and attendees. The workshop was used by the students to develop their own research projects. 

Elitist narratives have always beleaguered the history of modern Palestine. In this asymmetric context, history performs the following: it confines, obliterates and reduces colorful past life to a linear homogenous anecdote. This workshop took participants on a journey through the winding past of Palestine by giving a glimpse into the “Endangered Palestinian Memories” project, led by Saad Amira.