ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses the character of the Palestinian student movement in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and throughout the Palestinian diaspora. The basic premise argues the existence of two separate movements, each with its own pace and social constitution. The book investigates the role of higher education in the Palestinian political system. It focuses on the political role of the Palestinian universities and on their dialectics with the student population. The book discusses the question of structuring identity in the absence of national institutions, as well as the role of higher education as an agent of social change and catalyst of national identity formation. It also examines the contributions of Palestinian students to the construction of both nation and country along a timeline spanning 50 years and also examines the multifold issues Palestinian students deal with and the relationship between student and academic institution.
