Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

Brussels Symposium, 8-10 June 2015

CS5 Presentation

Reflections on RMly activities in Gaza, Palestine

Nazmi Al-MasriThe Islamic University of Gaza

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

Outline

1. Main Recent Activities inspired by RMly in Gaza

2. Professional Beneficiaries of RMly Activities

3. Reflections and impacts

1. awareness of the power of language skills & arts in FLT

2. Mutual cultural/ interfaith understanding

3. Pedagogical impact/ Actions

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

Introduction• “Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and

poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”  Leonardo da Vinci

• Art has the power to transform, to illuminate, to educate, inspire and motivate. Harvey Fierstein

• “My task, which I am trying to achieve is, by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel--it is, before all, to make you see.” Joseph Conrad, Lord Jim

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

Main Recent Activities inspired by RMly in Gaza

1. Joint Symposium on Language & Art of Resistance

• Academic Presentations• Dramatic sketches, poetry recitation, art of political debate• Creative Arts Exhibition: cartoons, paintings, pictures

2. Virtual training course to teachers of EFL in Gaza – prepared & delivered by Grazia

3. Exhibition of paintings by deaf students (sign language)

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

Main Recent Activities inspired by RMly in Gaza

4. Exhibition on Victorian life in all its aspects (historical, political, social, economic, literary, fashion, etc.), in May 2015

5. Exhibition & conference on “Educational and Psychological Consequences of the war Against Gaza” held in May 2015

6. 2 Virtual training courses to teachers of AFL in Gaza in June – Arabic for All and Al-Khaleej forTraining and education

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

Professional Beneficiaries of RMly Activities

1. Researchers & teachers at universities & schools

2. Students at universities & schools

3. Creative artists: cartoonists, artists, writers, poets

4. Media specialists: journalists & reporters some are IUG Eng Dept graduates

5. Human right specialists: some are IUG Eng Dept graduates

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

Reflections & impactsa) Reinforcing the power of language & creative arts in FLT (A &E)

1. Academic course plans & syllabuses of FL courses will include poetry, drama, stories, cartoons, pictures, paintings, pictures, music, songs, chants, folklore tales, debating skills, etc.)

2. All forms of creative arts will become a norm in FLT classes: schools & universities

3. dramatizing stories & plays and reciting poetry will become an essential part of teaching literary courses

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

Linguistic & pedagogical Reflections4. language & creative arts are seen as powerful ways of

expressing resistance & asserting national & cultural identity

5. Armed resistance is not the only way oppressed people may use to regain their national rights & national identity regardless UN Charter’s Article 51, concerning self-defense.

6. Being a multilingual has become a power & using creative arts has also become a power. Hence IUG Eng Dept is trying to find fund for preparing quality rehearsal theatre room.

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

c) Enhancing Mutual cultural/ interfaith understanding:

1. both multilingual presenters and students have successfully and confidently presented model examples of successful intercultural and interfaith communication which crossed the borders of the three monotheist religions and reinforced intercultural tolerance especially among young besieged students.

2. exposed 100s of Palestinian young students to distinguished native linguists from different reputable universities with different cultural and religious background. These students wanted more and more of such insightful linguistic and cultural activities that build bridges of understanding and cooperation. Some key questions my 160 first year students whom I teach oral communication raised:• Why do these famous non-Arabs and non-Muslims linguists sympathise with

us as us, Palestinians?• Why did all of the non-Arab Speakers in the symposium greet us in Arabic?

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

Examples 1. Victorian Literature exhibition as a representation of the

Victorian age in all its aspects: historical, political, social, economic, literary, fashion, etc. here are some photos of the exhibition:

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

2. Trs & Ss focusing on • debating skills• connotations of political words & expressions

related to resistance:

kidnapped, captured, arrested; killed, died, murdered, martyred

• resistance related pictures & through raising a number of questions about each picture.

Alaa abu-Zaid, 8, lost her mother & 9 siblings during the latest Israeli war on Gaza “After school, I bought a bundle of flowers & decided to present them to my mom. Instead of going home, I decided to go to visit my mother’s tomb to give my present to my mom

Palestinian woman holding onto olive tree uprooted by armed Israeli army – Reuters – April 2

nd, 2014& 9 siblings during the l

“

Alaa lost her mother & 9 siblings during the latest Israeli war on Gaza

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

Psychotherapeutic impact

• to release stress, anxiety & tension caused by an 9-year siege, 3 wars

• disability as done by the students’ performance, body language & art work done by hearing disabled students.

Here is a link to students artworks http://photo.iugaza.edu.ps/album.aspx?C_ID=157&Alb_ID=386&TID=3 

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

Training & research related impact

1. online training course Grazia delivered to English language teachers in Gaza

2. I am currently drafting proposal f or developing creative arts skills deaf students have such as drawing, performing drama and folkloric activities.

3. Joint research particles on arts of resistance will be prepared as I greed to do so with Alison. This presentation can be a draft outline to our next joint article.

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

Conclusions: long term implications

3. Such activities have long term implications:4. Such created unprecedented awareness of vitality & universality of art works esp arts of resistance as a powerful means

• to enhance FL pedagogy• to release tension, worries and anxiety• to gain freedom & justice• to traverse the border of languages, accents and dialects• to build bridges of understanding among all nations & peoples of different

languages, cultures and faiths• to making IUG not only a multlingual university but also a magnetic hub for

using creative arts in all its activities as a powerful way of communication with local and international community.

 

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

Conclusions1. Multilinguality and creative arts have become an increasing policy & and a

standard in most IUG formal activities. Examples • Multilingual celebration of the launch of the 1st academic program for deaf

students: Arabic, Sign language & exhibitions of the pictures painted by newly accepted deaf students.

• Multilingual conference on “Educational and Psychological Consequences of the War Against Gaza” held by IUG Faculty of Education on 12-13 May, 2015 was opened by folkloric dance & songs by children, used Arabic and English as well as an exhibition as some pictures below show.

http://shahed.iugaza.edu.ps/137-al137.htm#http://shahed.iugaza.edu.ps/137-al137.htm#prettyPhoto[gallery1]/23/http://shahed.iugaza.edu.ps/137-al137.htm#

Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) through the Translating Cultures Programme [grant reference AH/L006936/1]

Recommendations 1. Rmly should prepare virtual and online gallery of creative arts related to FL

pedagogy, resistance, psychotherapy, law and borders

2. Co-writing quality articles on the linguistic & pedagogical value of using language and arts of resistance in FLT.

3. Co-writing quality articles on the psychological and mental value of creative arts for disabled people.

Language is power, art is power, knowledge and technology is power