Routes to Palestine: Home, Trauma, and the Nuances of Self-Construction in the Autobiographical Work of Ghada Karmi, Raja Shehadeh, and Edward Said

Mahi, Feth-Ellah (2025) Routes to Palestine: Home, Trauma, and the Nuances of Self-Construction in the Autobiographical Work of Ghada Karmi, Raja Shehadeh, and Edward Said. Doctoral thesis (PhD), Manchester Metropolitan University.

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Abstract

The genre of autobiography has gained currency in the Palestinian literary scene over the last few decades. This is a phenomenon that speaks to the relevance of this mode of expression to voice the nuances of the Palestinian experience both inside and outside Palestine. This research examines the dynamics of the relationship between the politics of identity construction in autobiography and the complex politics of being Palestinian by reading the memoirs of three Palestinian authors. Ghada Karmi, Raja Shehadeh, and Edward Said render a multiplicity of ways to be Palestinian in their life narratives. This study brings these memoirists together within a framework of postcolonial trauma by elucidating how they articulate their identities through the itinerary of a fragmented home, an impossible return, and an elusive sense of belonging. My reading reveals that the effort to highlight a nuanced Palestinian experience that attends to the specificities of individual experience finds a suitable space within the framework of autobiography. However, the Palestinian autobiographical act is still haunted by a collectivist shadow of nationalism. The conclusions this research draws demonstrate that the process of individuation is intertwined with the collective, engaging in a dialogue that both enriches and complicates the broader narrative of Palestinian identity. Although the effort to shape a Palestinian identity beyond nationalism is complex and ongoing, Palestinian memoirs serve as a testament to both personal and collective traumas, offering a deeper and more nuanced comprehension of Palestinian identity. Critics engaging with Palestinian autobiography should push further to construct ways to conceive of the Palestinian beyond the boundaries of nationalism. The growing body of autobiographical works that has been accumulating over the past few decades may well offer a substantial foundation to challenge and potentially replace the traditional frameworks that have so far monopolized the meaning of Palestinian identity along conventional narratives lines that may not fully capture the complexity and variety of Palestinian lives. This shift allows for a more nuanced and multifaceted portrayal of what it means to be Palestinian, reflecting the unique and varied journeys of its people and giving voice to what has long been silenced.