Support Palestinian Education for Justice in 2026

This reporting period, Mada al-Carmel continued to strengthen its role as a space where Palestinian scholars and students can engage deeply with ideas, history, and the challenges of producing knowledge under difficult political conditions.

One exciting new initiative has been the launch of the seminar series “Readings in Arabic and Islamic Texts in the Social Sciences and Humanities.” Bringing together approximately 25 participants - including graduate students, researchers, and academics - the series explores classical Arabic and Islamic intellectual traditions as living sources of critical thought rather than historical artifacts.

The first sessions generated lively discussion around questions that remain relevant today: How do we engage critically with Arab intellectual heritage? What can classical thinkers teach us about knowledge, doubt, politics, and society? Participants examined the work of influential scholars such as Al-Ghazali, Al-Mawardi, Al-Farabi, and Ibn Taymiyyah, while upcoming sessions will focus on the sociological contributions of Ibn Khaldun and Ibn al-Azraq. The strong attendance and enthusiasm have highlighted a growing desire among young scholars to reconnect with intellectual traditions through contemporary questions and concerns.

At the same time, the Graduate Students Seminar continued its work in Ramallah through two intensive sessions held in April 2026 under the theme “From the Field to Theory: Conducting Field Research, Producing, and Writing Palestinian Knowledge about Palestine.”

Over two days, graduate students engaged with experienced researchers and academics on topics ranging from ethnographic fieldwork and research ethics to the challenges of producing critical scholarship within Israeli academia and global knowledge systems. 

The first day opened with a lecture delivered by Dr. Nadim Karkabi on the transition from fieldwork diaries to the construction of arguments in ethnographic and interpretive research, followed by a session dedicated to presenting and discussing students’ assignments. Dr. Taghreed Yahya-Younis then delivered a lecture on the possibilities of producing critical knowledge within Israeli academia from the position of the Palestinian researcher. The day concluded with a lecture by Prof. Abaher El-Sakka, who discussed the challenges facing the production of Palestinian social sciences and their relationship to globally dominant knowledge structures.

The second day began with a lecture by Dr. Khaled Anabtawi on the journey of field research and the questions of ethics, positionality, and knowledge production. This was followed by a lecture by Prof. Honaida Ghanim, which addressed the methodological challenges of writing and conducting research within a crisis-ridden reality, as well as the relationship between personal experience and academic research. The seminar concluded with a lecture by Dr. Ameera Silmi on the concept of decolonizing research and the possibilities of reclaiming the Palestinian historical narrative through archives and oral memory.

Perhaps most importantly, the seminar created an opportunity for participants to learn from one another. Students presented their own work, received detailed feedback, and reflected collectively on what it means to conduct research as Palestinians during a time of profound political uncertainty. These exchanges reinforced one of the program’s core goals: building a supportive intellectual community where emerging scholars can develop both the skills and confidence needed to contribute meaningful research.

This year also marks an important milestone for Mada al-Carmel: we enter the second decade of the PhD and Graduate Student Support Program. Over the past decade, hundreds of students, researchers, lecturers, and mentors have passed through the program, helping to build a vibrant network of Palestinian scholarship. As part of this anniversary, we are beginning a process of reflecting on the program's journey and impact, gathering stories, memories, and feedback from former participants and instructors. In the coming months, we hope to share a look back at the achievements, challenges, and lasting relationships that have shaped the program over the last ten years.

None of this would be possible without the support of donors who believe in the importance of independent Palestinian knowledge production. Your contribution helps create spaces where students and researchers can learn, question, collaborate, and produce scholarship rooted in their own realities.

As we enter the next decade of the program, we invite you to 'Give Now' so we can continue this journey and help ensure that these critical academic spaces remain open and accessible for future generations of Palestinian scholars.

Thank you for standing with Mada al-Carmel and the students whose work is helping shape the future of Palestinian research and intellectual life.

This reporting period, Mada al-Carmel – The Arab Center for Applied Social Research continued to invest in Palestinian scholarship at two crucial levels: collective research reflection through the Research Agendas Workshop, and hands-on mentoring through the launch of the 11th Graduate Seminar.

Research Agendas Workshop: Rethinking in a Time of Rupture

The Research Agendas Workshop was created in response to the war on Gaza and the profound political and intellectual rupture it has caused. Palestinian researchers gathered not simply to comment on events, but to ask deeper questions: Are the analytical frameworks we have long relied on, such as settler colonialism, still sufficient to explain this moment? What shifts are taking place within Israeli politics and society? And what new questions must Palestinian scholars now raise?

Early sessions focused on the meaning of October 7 and the unprecedented scale of Israel’s response. Participants debated whether the war signals a structural transformation in the Zionist project, and what this means for Palestinians living inside the Green Line.

By August and September, discussions expanded to critically examine Israeli and Western intellectual production about the war. Researchers analyzed books and essays by prominent Israeli thinkers, exploring how these works frame the crisis- often seeking to “manage” rather than resolve it. A recurring theme was the growing reliance on religious legitimacy and existential rhetoric within Israeli discourse.

The workshop concluded its recent cycle with a forward-looking session, “Towards New Palestinian Agendas.” Rather than offering immediate answers, the goal was to cultivate sustained dialogue and develop research priorities capable of responding thoughtfully to this historic moment.

Launch of the 11th Graduate Seminar – December 2025

In December, Mada launched the 11th round of its Seminar to Support Academic Research Skills, welcoming sixteen graduate students from diverse fields ranging from health sciences to political theory.

The seminar provides structured mentorship over a series of sessions. Students presented draft abstracts of their theses and engaged in detailed peer review discussions. The emphasis this year is on strengthening research design: clarifying core questions, identifying gaps in existing literature, refining hypotheses, and ensuring that methodology aligns with research goals.

A significant development in this round is the deeper involvement of alumni. Former seminar participants now return as discussants and advisors, creating an intergenerational learning environment and reinforcing continuity within Mada’s academic community.

Together, these initiatives reflect Mada’s evolving approach: responding to urgent political realities while steadily building long-term academic capacity. By supporting both collective research reflection and individual graduate development, Mada continues to cultivate a growing network of Palestinian scholars equipped with the clarity, skills, and confidence needed for sustained knowledge production.