Tamara Abu Laban, an instructor at Bethlehem University’s Faculty of Arts, has co-authored a chapter in the newly released volume De/Colonizing Palestine: Contemporary Debate. The chapter, titled “Filming Palestinian Graffiti, Engaging Science: Sharing Power and Authority on Knowledge Production,” was published by the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva.
Co-written with Clémence Lehec, the chapter examines how participatory filmmaking and visual ethnography can be employed as tools for producing knowledge collaboratively. Focusing on Palestinian street art and graffiti, Abu Laban and Lehec explore how these visual forms challenge traditional academic hierarchies and open new pathways for decolonial and community-engaged research.
Their work contributes to broader discussions around decolonization, representation, and knowledge production within occupied and contested spaces. The authors emphasize the importance of creating spaces where researchers and community members share authority and co-construct narratives that reflect lived experiences and localized knowledge systems.
The book De/Colonizing Palestine: Contemporary Debate brings together a diverse group of scholars, activists, and practitioners to contribute to the broader intellectual and political project of decolonisation. The book challenges dominant narratives, highlights the resilience and agency of Palestinians, and explores alternative pathways toward justice and liberation amidst ongoing occupation and colonial rule.
Bethlehem University congratulates Tamara on this important contribution and looks forward to seeing how her work continues to inspire dialogue and transformative research practices.
The full chapter can be accessed here.