CAIS Lecture Series Spring 2025: Dr. Maha Nassar

Spheres of Steadfastness: Palestinian Women and the Struggle for Freedom

ASU Council for Arabic & Islamic Studies presents:

Dr. Maha Nassar, University of Arizona

The Arabic term sumud (steadfastness) has long been a core feature of Palestinian liberation discourse. In recent years, scholars have shed important light on how Palestinians – particularly Palestinian women – practice sumud through their everyday resistance to conditions of Israeli oppression. Yet the rich history, global resonance, and contested meanings of sumud among Palestinians themselves await further research. In this talk, Maha Nassar historicizes the concept of sumud and introduces her original conceptual framework of “spheres of sumud” that include the personal, community, civic, and international spheres. Drawing on a range of Arabic sources, including historical newspapers, oral histories, and memoirs, she argues that Palestinian women have been key agents within these four spheres, though their roles have often been downplayed or overlooked. She also uncovers intra-Palestinian contestations, where women from varying political commitments debated with one another – and with the men in their society – what Palestinian liberation looks like and the best means to achieve it. She concludes by showing how Palestinian women today remain central to these spheres of steadfastness, and how they continue to be core agents in the collective Palestinian struggle for freedom.