Palestinian Music and Song, Public Cultures of the Middle East and North Africa

“[A] monumental contribution to Palestinian studies . . . an indispensable resource for those interested in Middle Eastern folklore, music, history, and politics.” —Journal of Folklore Research

Drawing from a long history of indigenous traditions and incorporating diverse influences of surrounding cultures, music in Palestine and among the millions of Palestinians in diaspora offers a unique window on cultural and political events of the past century.

From the perspective of scholars, performers, composers, and activists, Palestinian Music and Song examines the many ways in which music has been a force of representation, nation building, and social action. From the turn of the twentieth century, when Palestine became an exotic object of fascination for missionaries and scholars, to twenty-first-century transnational collaborations in hip hop and new media, this volume traces the conflicting dynamics of history and tradition, innovation and change, power and resistance.