Conflict, War, and/or Genocide: Palestine and Palestinians in Picture Books

• In Event: Sunday Roundtable Session 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Being Seen and Constructing Possibilities: Analyzing Children’s and Young Adult Literature (Table 3)

Abstract

Engaging in critical content analysis, in this study, I investigated Palestine and Palestinians in picturebook to address what these books represent about the richness, beauty, and complexity of each life; and how these books can catalyze peace in this geography. After identifying 14 picturebooks and framing children’s literature as peacemaker catalysts, I have found that the books are about resistance, hope, and cultural pride. I concluded that these books help to understand the full richness, beauty, and complexity of each life of Palestinians and should be brought to the classroom for multiple perspectives; also emphasized that radical and unconditional peace is needed to solve the conflict, war and/or genocide.

Author

• Mehmet Gultekin, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville