Ariya Harrington
Class of 2026Alexandria, Virginia
About
Hello! My name is Ariya and my project is on the history of Israel and Palestine, specifically in the Gaza strip. I chose to work on this project because I think it is necessary to understand the history of the area in order to understand the ongoing present day conflict in Palestine. I think it needs to be seen as a product of decades of tensions, not an isolated event that began in 2023. After my project is complete, I would like to get my paper published.Projects
- "Palestinian National Identity and the Question of Settler Colonialism With consideration to the events of October 7 2023, how have scholars/journalists engaged with the subject of Palestinian national identity and indigeneity from the mid-20th century onwards?" with mentor Hamzah (Sept. 18, 2025)
Project Portfolio
Palestinian National Identity and the Question of Settler Colonialism With consideration to the events of October 7 2023, how have scholars/journalists engaged with the subject of Palestinian national identity and indigeneity from the mid-20th century onwards?
Started Mar. 17, 2025
Abstract or project description
We will be looking into the subject of Palestinian national identity. Specifically, we will look at how various scholarly interpretations understand it. We will also take into account the recent eruption of interest in the term settler colonialism to interpret Palestine. Ariya has a good framework in place to examine the relevant sources.
Literature review will examine how scholars have interpreted Palestinian national identity during the later half of the 20th century, taking into consideration the differing perspectives of sources (eg nationality, intent of writing) as well as chronology, rhetoric, and definition of national identity. A secondary question will explore how the events of Oct 7 2023 have further shaped interpretations/discussions of Palestinian national identity, as well as discussion surrounding the term 'settler colonialism' in relation to Palestine and Israel.
UPDATED ABSTRACT: This literature review examines the emerging prominence of settler colonial studies within the field of Israeli-Palestinian history. It analyzes twenty-first-century scholarly publications, with an eye toward the events of October 7th, 2023, and the subsequent growth of mainstream attention to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. I acknowledge the contentious nature of the discussion surrounding settler colonialism and Palestine, then move into a brief overview of the history of Palestine and the formation of the state of Israel. I then progress to analyzing the works of scholars arguing the necessity of viewing Israel-Palestine through a settler-colonial lens, and attempt to deconstruct the logic of their arguments and their ideological perspectives. Finally, I touch on alternate perspectives, examining the counter-narratives that have emerged from this trend, arguing against the use of the settler-colonial lens within Palestine studies. Finally, I assess the more recent growth of popular interest in the term ‘settler colonialism’ in the wake of the October 7th attacks and Israel’s military invasion of the Gaza Strip.