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Launching a New Task Force: “Post-Oslo transformations in Palestinian Society”

Since the 1993 Oslo Accords and the subsequent establishment of the Palestinian Authority, Palestinian society has witnessed major political, economic, and social transformations that have affected its orientations, general behaviors, and attitudes toward various political and national issues. Therefore, it is critical to investigate some of Palestinian society’s attitudes toward many questions that were previously taken for granted by parties and politicians.

In this context, Al Sharq Strategic Research and Vision for Political Development launched a new task force to study the major transformations of Palestinian society in its various locales (West Bank, Gazza, 1984-occupied lands, or in diaspora) and their implications for the Palestinian national liberation project. This research project will help the Palestinian decision-makers and those interested in Palestinian affairs to stay informed and updated with the developments of Palestinian society.

Major Themes

The research project includes the following major themes:

  • Transformations in agents: including the Palestinian movements and parties, Palestinian elite, and NGOs, in addition to the political roles of Palestinian women and youth.
  • Transformations in Palestinian structures and institutions: with a focus on the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
  • Transformations in tools of resistance: mainly the transformations in mobilization platforms and the relationship between the Palestinian resistance and its supporting societal base.
  • Transformations in identity, memory, and national culture: this focuses on how the transforming Palestinian identity is manifested in media, school curricula, and cultural and national mobilization tools and platforms. It also includes the transformations in the Palestinian narrative and cultural discourse policies.
  • Economic transformations in Palestinian society: investigating the structure of the Palestinian economy (agriculture, trade, industry, and services) and the transformations in its relations with the occupying state (i.e., Israel).
  • International and Regional transformations and their impact on Palestinian Society.

Activities and Publications

The task force activities will include publishing research papers and book reviews, in addition to a number of workshops scheduled as follows:

  • Transformations in Palestinian institutions and political agents (March 2022).
  • Transformations in methods of resistance and preservation of Palestinian identity (June 2022).
  • Transformations in the Palestinian economy and infrastructure (September 2022).

The task force activities will conclude with the publication of the final book and a conference to discuss the research outcomes with a number of researchers, academics, and politicians.