February 28 – Transnational Palestinian Solidarity in the United States/ The Power of Palestine: Transnationalism and the Evolution of Solidarity in the US
Karam Dana, Alyson McGregor Distinguished Professor of Excellence and Transformative Research, University of Washington, Bothell.
This lecture will contextualize the Palestinian struggle for liberation and highlight the causes of the noticeable transformation of public sympathies towards Palestinians, globally, but especially in the US.
Palestine has emerged as a global issue of significance to transnational politics. The experiences and perspectives of Palestinians living in exile in various parts of the world have played a crucial role in shaping the opinions of the communities they interact with. There are other factors that have contributed to the growing relevance of the Palestinian struggle for justice and self-determination. This lecture will focus on the evolution of the US political landscape, examining various processes that led to the noticeable shift in public opinion, which has placed renewed forms of solidarity focused on decolonization, social justice, and equality, changing political dynamics surrounding Palestine in the United States.
Dr. Dana is the Alyson McGregor Distinguished Professor of Excellence and Transformative Research and the founding director of the American Muslim Research Institute at the University of Washington Bothell. His scholarship explores the evolution of transnational political identities and their impact on civic engagement and political participation, with a focus on Palestinians and American Muslims. As an interdisciplinary social scientist, he examines social contexts related to religion, identity, and politics to describe, explain, and provide answers to persisting theoretical and policy questions. The overarching theme of his scholarly journey is centered on how ethno-, socio-political, and religious identities are formed, evolve, and transform under different socio-economic and political circumstances. He recently finished a book on how Palestine and Palestinians are presented and talked about in the United States, and explain the noticeable solidarity shifts in more recent years (Columbia University Press, 2024).
Dr. Karam Dana is a Palestinian-American academic, who was born and raised in al-Khalil/Hebron, located in the occupied territory of the West Bank. He is the Alyson McGregor Distinguished Professor of Excellence & Transformative Research at University of Washington Bothell. Dr. Dana is the Founding Director of The American Muslim Research Institute (AMRI). His research explores the formation, evolution, and transformation of ethno-, socio-political, and religious identities under different socio-economic and political conditions. Dr. Dana studies Palestinian identity and transnationalism, and the effects of Israeli occupation on Palestinian society. In addition to the study of Palestine-related questions, Dr. Dana was one of the earliest scholars to study Arab and Muslim racialization in the post- 9/11 era through survey and public opinion research. His accomplishments have been recognized and has been awarded the highest honors bestowed upon a University of Washington faculty member for their impactful and distinguished scholarship and exceptional teaching. He received the 2018 Distinguished Teaching Award, and more recently, the 2023 Distinguished Research, Scholarship, Creative Activities Award for 2023. He recently finished a book on how Palestine and Palestinians are presented and talked about in the United States, and explain the noticeable solidarity shifts in more recent years (Columbia University Press, 2024).