Alone together: experiences of Palestinian East Jerusalem students studying at an Israeli university

In this study, we aimed to better understand the experiences of ethnic minorities within institutions of higher education, especially in areas of conflict. We focused on the case of Palestinian students from East Jerusalem who study in one of Israel’s major universities. We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with nineteen students. The study found that Palestinian Jerusalemite’s students face various linguistic, cultural, and academic barriers as an involuntary ethnic minority in a settler colonial context. We also highlight how the programs offered to integrate them cater to individual needs rather than addressing students’ group identities. Furthermore, those who survived their initial cultural and linguistic barriers and opted to stay at the institution tend to develop an academic identity that compensates for the lack of space for their group affiliation.