Language Practices and Experiences of Palestinians in Palestine and Diaspora: Occupation and Displacement

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: Theorizing Critical Perspectives and Paradigms in Peace Education

Abstract

This study explores the language practices, and language experiences of 17 Palestinian multilinguals in Palestine, as well as 30 in the diaspora - focusing on Arabic, English, and Hebrew. A thematic analysis was conducted of open-ended responses adapted from the Bilingual Emotional Questionnaire (Dewaele & Pavlenko, 2001-2003). The findings of this study revealed that regardless of location, there were very similar language experiences and practices reported by participants. This study concludes with a call to further research the complexities of location regarding the reality of occupation, especially with regard to what can be considered diaspora in the context of an occupation, and how that further affects the roles of languages for Palestinian multilinguals in general.

Author

• Anastasia J. Khawaja, University of South Florida - Tampa