The lecture explored the presence of the concept of indigeneity and belonging to the land in Palestinian poetry, with particular attention to the works of Mahmoud Darwish and Tamim Al-Barghouti. It examined how Palestinian poets have articulated their relationship to place and national identity amid experiences of colonialism, dispossession, and forced displacement. Dr. Qabaha also discussed the cultural and political dimensions of the concept of “Indigeneity” within the Palestinian context, as well as the role of poetry in preserving collective memory and shaping a discourse of cultural resistance.

The lecture was attended by undergraduate and graduate students from the American University and An-Najah National University, alongside faculty members and scholars interested in comparative literature and postcolonial studies. The session featured an extensive academic discussion on representations of Palestinian identity in world literature and on the possibilities of comparing the Palestinian experience with those of other Indigenous peoples.

This event was part of a series of academic lectures delivered by Dr. Qabaha at a number of distinguished American universities, addressing diverse topics in postcolonial studies and comparative literature, with a particular focus on the intersections between the Palestinian experience and the experiences of Indigenous peoples in the Americas. These events have been organized in collaboration with the Middle East Studies Association and have included public lectures at several institutions, among them:

• Georgetown University
• California State Polytechnic University Humboldt
• University of Chicago

These activities reflect the growing interest among international academic institutions in Palestinian studies and Palestinian literature as vital intellectual and cultural spaces for understanding questions of justice, identity, and liberation.