A Language of One’s Own

The European Centre for Palestine Studies (ECPS) is honoured to welcome Professor Ismail Nashif of Exeter and Al-Quds University for a special event exploring his recent publication, A Language of One’s Own: Literary and Cultural Production in Palestine.

Professor Nashif is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and has an extensive record of research on language, culture, education, and Palestinian society. This event offers a unique opportunity to engage with his work on the relationship between cultural production, literary expression, and Palestinian identity.

The discussion will focus on the themes developed in A Language of One’s Own, examining how language functions not only as a means of communication but also as a site of cultural preservation, political struggle, and collective memory. The talk will explore the role of literature and cultural production in shaping Palestinian experiences and in articulating visions of belonging, resistance, and self-determination.

Participants will have the opportunity to discuss the broader significance of cultural and literary practices in Palestine and to reflect on the ways in which language contributes to the formation of national and social identities under conditions of displacement, occupation, and political uncertainty.

Programme

About the Book

A Language of One’s Own: Literary and Cultural Production in Palestine explores the intersections of language, literature, culture, and power in the Palestinian context. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the book examines how writers, artists, intellectuals, and cultural institutions contribute to the production of meaning and identity within Palestinian society.

The work highlights the importance of cultural expression in preserving historical memory and sustaining forms of resistance, while also addressing the challenges facing literary and artistic production in contemporary Palestine.

Speaker Biography

Professor Ismail Nashif is Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and is affiliated with Exeter University and Al-Quds University. His scholarship spans anthropology, sociology, cultural studies, education, and Palestinian studies.

Professor Nashif's research focuses on language, literary production, collective memory, social movements, and the cultural dimensions of political life. He has published extensively on Palestinian society and has developed influential approaches to understanding the relationship between culture, identity, and resistance.

Through his interdisciplinary work, he has made significant contributions to the study of Palestinian cultural and intellectual history, exploring how communities use language, education, and artistic production to navigate changing political realities and sustain collective forms of belonging.