From Intersectional Marginalization to Empowerment: Palestinian Women Transforming Through Higher Education

Abstract

Palestinian female students from East Jerusalem face multiple forms of discrimination as Palestinians in Israeli universities, as women in traditional society, and as residents of a politically contested area. These intersecting challenges create unique difficulties that traditional educational systems cannot adequately address. Despite worldwide higher education expansion, severe inequalities persist, particularly affecting students with multiple disadvantaged identities who face institutional barriers designed to maintain disparities. This study examines how Palestinian women transform structural challenges into opportunities for empowerment within Israeli higher education. This qualitative research used in-depth semi-structured interviews with 40 Palestinian female students from East Jerusalem enrolled in Israeli institutions. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling until data saturation was achieved. An interview analysis examined educational choices, institutional navigation strategies, experiences of discrimination, cultural identity preservation, and career planning approaches using a thematic methodology. Seven interconnected themes emerged, highlighting empowerment strategies: strategic educational choice-making, institutional navigation skills, academic resilience development, cultural identity preservation, intercultural bridge-building, community-oriented career planning, and the development of critical political consciousness. The findings demonstrate how these women utilize community cultural strengths to succeed in environments not designed for their advancement, positioning themselves as institutional change agents rather than passive recipients of support. This research contributes to diversity science by revealing how intersectional marginalization creates distinctive forms of empowerment, providing insights for developing antiracist teaching approaches that recognize the cultural assets that multiply-marginalized students bring to higher education.

1. Introduction

Higher education has become one of the most significant goals for young people worldwide. Students view university education as an opportunity to improve their economic situation, develop professionally, and advance in society (OECD, 2024). Quality higher education opens doors to better opportunities, brighter futures, and the ability to contribute meaningfully to their communities (Conceição & UNDP, 2022). This desire for education transcends all borders—geographical, cultural, and political—motivating people to work hard and overcome significant challenges to achieve their academic goals.

However, despite unprecedented global expansion in higher education access, significant inequalities persist in access and completion rates across socioeconomic groups in low- and lower-middle-income countries (Ilie et al., 2021), with similar patterns documented globally across 117 countries (Buckner & Abdelaziz, 2023). Studies demonstrate that individuals from higher socioeconomic backgrounds are much more likely to access higher education. For example, in France, 90% of the top income group access higher education compared to only 35% of the bottom income group, showing disparities similar to patterns in the United States (Bonneau & Grobon, 2022). These patterns reflect what scholars describe as a “cyclical relationship between poverty and educational inequalities,” where socioeconomic disadvantage accumulates across generations due to limited educational access (Fitzgerald et al., 2024; Edgerton & Roberts, 2014).

1.1. Intersectionality Theory and Higher Education Contexts

Contemporary research identifies multiple intersecting factors that create barriers to higher education access, including socioeconomic status, parental education levels, ethnicity, previous schooling experiences, gender, and geographical location (Fitzgerald et al., 2024; Buckner & Abdelaziz, 2023; Antoninis et al., 2023). These factors operate through what Lynch and O’riordan (1998) describe as economic, institutional, and cultural constraints that limit individual choices in post-secondary education. In developing countries and conflict-affected regions, these constraints become even worse through geographic isolation and political instability, creating additional barriers that particularly affect marginalized populations (Smith, 2014).

Higher education journeys vary significantly across different populations. While some students navigate relatively straightforward pathways from secondary school to university, others face complex webs of structural barriers, institutional obstacles, and systemic inequalities that significantly complicate their educational paths (Hemsley-Brown & Oplatka, 2006; Fitzgerald et al., 2024; Buckner & Abdelaziz, 2023). This difference becomes particularly clear for students from marginalized communities, who must navigate additional layers of discrimination and exclusion while pursuing their academic goals (Bécares & Priest, 2015).

Palestinian female students from East Jerusalem represent a compelling case study of young women whose educational aspirations intersect with extraordinary challenges that exemplify broader patterns of educational inequality affecting marginalized populations globally. Like their counterparts worldwide, these women hold strong ambitions for higher education and professional success, which would enable them to achieve meaningful employment and fulfilling lives (Abu-Rabia-Queder & Arar, 2011). However, their educational journeys reveal fundamentally different stories shaped by the unique convergence of multiple forms of marginalization, creating educational experiences that differ significantly from those of more privileged peers.

These women encounter complex intersectional marginalization that operates across multiple dimensions simultaneously, reflecting broader patterns of educational inequality documented in contemporary scholarship on multiply marginalized students in higher education (Johnson & Johnson, 2024; Roberts & Nkomo, 2025). Their experiences illustrate what recent intersectionality research identifies as constitutive rather than additive marginalization, where multiple identities create entirely new forms of oppression that cannot be understood by examining each identity separately (Christoffersen & Emejulu, 2022).

Intersectionality theory, developed by Crenshaw (1989, 1991) and extended by Collins (2019), provides the theoretical foundation for understanding how Palestinian female students from East Jerusalem experience marginalization that differs qualitatively from either gender discrimination alone or ethnic marginalization alone. This framework acknowledges that multiple identities can create entirely new forms of experience, rather than simply combining separate disadvantages (Collins & Bilge, 2020). Contemporary scholarship demonstrates that this form of constitutive marginalization requires distinctive analytical frameworks that move beyond additive models to understand how multiple identities create entirely new forms of experience through the cultural mediation of disparities (McCormick-Huhn et al., 2019; White et al., 2025).

First, as Palestinians studying within predominantly Jewish Israeli academic institutions, they encounter ethnic and political exclusion in environments where their cultural backgrounds are often marginalized or misunderstood. These institutional environments give privilege to certain forms of cultural knowledge while systematically devaluing Palestinian perspectives and experiences (Diab, 2024; Mansour, 2024; Sa’di-Ibraheem, 2021). Recent documentation shows that Palestinian students face unprecedented disciplinary actions for political expression while similar expressions by Jewish Israeli students are ignored, creating systematically hostile academic environments that violate principles of educational equity (Adalah, 2024; Mansour, 2024; Totry-Jubran, 2024). Recent research identifies Hebrew language requirements as “a breach of academic equality” for Arab female students, creating systematic barriers beyond communication challenges to fundamental educational access (Abu-Gweder, 2022).

Second, as women within a traditionally patriarchal Palestinian society (Rubenberg, 2001), they navigate gender-based constraints that significantly shape their educational choices and career opportunities. Despite comprising 62% of Palestinian higher education students, women’s labor force participation remains dramatically lower, at only 19%, with unemployment rates reaching 40% among women compared to 20% among men (Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 2023). Palestinian women view teaching professions as “golden paths” balancing cultural expectations with professional aspirations (Abu-Gweder, 2024). Recent research indicates that Palestinian women face complex, intersecting forms of oppression, necessitating sophisticated strategies to overcome them (Nazzal et al., 2024; Shehadeh & Alayan, 2025).

Third, as residents of East Jerusalem, a politically contested and socioeconomically disadvantaged area, they experience additional geographical and economic barriers that compound their educational challenges. These women navigate contexts where they “continued to suffer the adverse effects of occupation, political violence, and human rights violations” that particularly affect those in East Jerusalem (ESCWA, 2023). Recent analysis documents how systematic educational control affects over 110,000 Palestinian students across 249 schools in East Jerusalem, creating constrained educational pathways that limit access to higher education (Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center, 2023; Defense for Children Palestine, 2025).

Contemporary research on intersectionality in higher education contexts reveals that students with multiple marginalized identities develop navigation strategies, creating forms of insider–outsider knowledge—intimate knowledge that marginalized individuals acquire to survive in dominant cultures while experiencing exclusion (Collins, 1986). This knowledge often provides insights about complex intersections that remain invisible to those with more privileged identities, creating what Collins (2019) calls “outsider within” positioning that helps develop survival skills essential for navigating multiple oppressions.

Palestinian women from East Jerusalem also experience what Purdie-Vaughns and Eibach (2008) call “intersectional invisibility,” where individuals with multiple subordinate identities become overlooked within institutional support systems. This invisibility operates across multiple areas: within Palestinian student initiatives that may prioritize male experiences, within women’s programs centered on non-Palestinian perspectives, and within diversity frameworks that lack tools to address their complex positioning. Such systematic overlooking creates both additional institutional barriers and distinctive opportunities for developing autonomous empowerment approaches.

1.2. Community Cultural Wealth Framework

Equally important to understanding their experiences is Yosso’s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth framework, which challenges deficit-oriented perspectives by recognizing the forms of capital that marginalized communities possess: aspirational, navigational, social, linguistic, familial, and resistant capital (Bourdieu, 1986; Grabsch et al., 2023). This framework provides a crucial lens for advancing diversity science understanding of how Palestinian female students from East Jerusalem use diverse experiences and knowledge systems to succeed in higher education environments designed to exclude them.

Recent research confirms that different types of cultural capital contribute to student success in various ways, with particular attention to how gender intersects with these capital forms in culturally mediated patterns (Jin et al., 2022; Nunes & Andrade, 2024). Empirical evidence suggests that both static cultural capital (formal cultural practices) and relational cultural capital (family interactions) have a significant impact on academic performance across diverse student populations (Nunes & Andrade, 2024). Community cultural wealth pedagogy works to reduce equity barriers by theorizing and investigating innovative educational practices that recognize students’ abilities and assets, rather than focusing on supposed deficits—an approach essential for developing antiracist pedagogical models.

Critical race theory scholars demonstrate how community cultural wealth operates in higher education contexts, particularly for marginalized community students who bring valuable knowledge and skills that traditional institutional assessments fail to recognize (Solórzano & Villalpando, 1998). Research shows that first-generation college students from marginalized backgrounds develop advanced forms of cultural knowledge through navigating complex educational environments, transforming lived experiences into academic assets rather than deficits (Jehangir, 2010).

1.3. Palestinian Women’s Educational Experiences and Institutional Barriers

Research on Palestinian women’s educational experiences reveals complex negotiations between cultural expectations, political constraints, and personal aspirations, creating unique challenges and opportunities for empowerment (Diab, 2025; Abu-Rabia-Queder & Weiner-Levy, 2013; Shehadeh & Alayan, 2025). Palestinian women pursuing higher education often face what scholars describe as a “multiple burden”—managing educational demands, cultural expectations, political oppression, and gender-based constraints while navigating institutional environments that may be hostile to their identity and presence (Ihmoud, 2022; Nazzal et al., 2024).

Contemporary scholarship demonstrates that Palestinian women activists and students face “webs of oppression” operating through intersecting power systems, where experiences cannot be understood through single-axis frameworks but require attention to how patriarchal, colonial, and cultural forces intersect to create unique forms of marginalization (Ihmoud, 2022; Nazzal et al., 2024; Shehadeh & Alayan, 2025).

Studies examining Palestinian students in Israeli institutions document various forms of marginalization: language barriers, cultural alienation, political discrimination, and social isolation that affect academic performance and sense of belonging (Mansour, 2024; Mansour, 2023). Recent research identifies explicitly Hebrew language requirements as constituting “a breach of academic equality and professional prestige” for Arab female students, creating systematic barriers that extend beyond mere communication challenges to fundamental questions of educational access and institutional equity (Abu-Gweder, 2022). Research reveals that Palestinian Arab students experience academic, physical, social, and cultural disorientation upon entering higher education, with this disorientation transforming over time into persistent feelings of “lagging behind others” (Mansour, 2023). Palestinian women face a concentrated assault upon their reputation and bodies, limiting courageous, liberty-seeking acts, with stigmatizing, honor-shaming, and “othering” proving to be powerful disciplining mechanisms operating through both Palestinian and Israeli institutional structures (Shalhoub-Kevorkian, 2010).

1.4. East Jerusalem’s Educational Context and Systematic Control

East Jerusalem’s educational landscape operates under a complex control system that extends from primary education through higher education, showing what scholars call “educide”—the deliberate destruction and control of educational infrastructure designed to eliminate Palestinian educational achievement (Barakat et al., 2025; Iriqat et al., 2025). According to comprehensive 2023 data, approximately 110,293 Palestinian students attend 249 schools in East Jerusalem, distributed across three distinct categories reflecting Israeli educational control strategies: 65 municipal schools (41% of students) directly supervised by the Israeli Ministry of Education; 105 recognized but unofficial schools (44% of students) receiving partial Israeli funding while maintaining limited autonomy; and 73 unrecognized schools (15% of students) operating under Palestinian Ministry of Education oversight without Israeli financial support (Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center, 2023). This systematic educational control operates within what Yiftachel (2006) describes as an ethnocratic framework that systematically privileges Jewish Israeli educational advancement while constraining Palestinian opportunities through institutional, geographic, and cultural barriers. This systematic educational control creates a pipeline that fundamentally shapes Palestinian students’ transition to higher education.

Recent documentation reveals an unprecedented escalation in attacks on Palestinian education at all levels, with Israeli forces conducting armed raids on UNRWA schools in Shuafat refugee camp, forcibly shuttering institutions serving over 550 Palestinian children aged 6–15, leaving children “in tears and families wondering how their children would continue their education” (Defense for Children Palestine, 2025). These attacks on primary and secondary education have a direct impact on access to higher education, as systematic targeting extends to universities and colleges, fundamentally undermining the foundation for advanced education and research capacity that took decades to establish (Barakat et al., 2025).

Despite these formidable educational control mechanisms and systematic barriers, Palestinian student enrollment in Israeli universities has experienced unprecedented growth, with students now representing nearly one-fifth of the undergraduate population in Israeli institutions, effectively doubling their participation over the past decade (Council for Higher Education Israel, 2023). This transformation is exemplified by Hebrew University, where Palestinian students from East Jerusalem have grown from minimal representation to over seven hundred currently enrolled students, with this growth being driven primarily by young women who recognize that pursuing higher education in Western Jerusalem institutions offers the most promising pathway to their envisioned futures (Cidor, 2022).

Movement restrictions create systematic barriers to higher education access, with approximately 849 permanent and temporary obstacles constraining 3.3 million Palestinians across the West Bank, including checkpoints, roadblocks, and closed military zones that specifically hamper university access (Middle East Studies Association, 2025). Palestinian students pursuing higher education face daily checkpoints, delays, detention, and harassment by Israeli soldiers and settlers on journeys to educational institutions, with drivers reporting being “stranded for hours, sometimes from sunrise to sunset,” causing students to miss classes and lose entire academic days (Fobzu, 2023; Abdulhamid, 2025).

For Palestinian students from East Jerusalem, these mobility constraints intersect with their complex legal status as permanent residents holding blue identity cards rather than full citizenship, creating additional vulnerabilities around university enrollment, financial aid eligibility, and post-graduation employment opportunities that make their experiences different from those of other Palestinian populations.

Recent policy developments, including Israeli governmental advances toward requiring all East Jerusalem schools to implement Israeli curricula by 2025, represent comprehensive educational restructuring that creates both new opportunities and fresh challenges for Palestinian students who must balance cultural identity preservation with access to Israeli higher education pathways within increasingly constrained educational options (Cidor, 2022). This educational restructuring involves multiple dimensions of control, including the systematic censorship of Palestinian textbooks through erasing symbols, leaving out segments, and deleting the content of whole pages that reflect Palestinian historical narrative and cultural identity (Alayan, 2018; Alayan & Riley, 2024).

Existing scholarship on Palestinian women in higher education has predominantly examined Palestinian citizens of Israel who hold full Israeli citizenship with voting rights and passports, living within the pre-1967 Green Line (Abu-Rabia-Queder & Arar, 2011; Abu-Rabia-Queder & Weiner-Levy, 2013). Unlike this population, Palestinian women from annexed East Jerusalem occupy a fundamentally different position. Following the 1967 annexation, they were physically severed from Palestinian territories while being denied full integration into Israeli society. They hold only Israeli identity cards as “permanent residents” without citizenship rights, lacking voting privileges, passport access, and civic benefits available to Palestinian citizens within the Green Line (Friesel, 2016).

While recent studies have examined Palestinian students in Israeli universities broadly (Mansour, 2023, 2024), most focus on barriers and challenges rather than success strategies. Only the Diab’s work (2024, 2025) has begun examining East Jerusalem residents specifically, leaving a significant research gap regarding how these women navigate their unique circumstances.

This liminal existence creates distinct challenges: these women must access Israeli educational institutions while remaining excluded from full civic participation and cut off from Palestinian universities. Many families actively resist Israeli integration while maintaining Palestinian identity despite geographic disconnection since 1967. Their educational choices thus represent forced adaptation to constrained circumstances rather than voluntary integration.

This research represents the first comprehensive study investigating how Palestinian women from annexed East Jerusalem transform these challenging circumstances into academic success. Through in-depth interviews with 40 participants, the study examines how they use cultural knowledge and lived experiences to succeed while preserving Palestinian identity and community connections. Rather than focusing on deficits, this research explores the navigation strategies they develop within systems designed to assimilate or exclude them.

Increasing numbers of Palestinian students from East Jerusalem are choosing Israeli institutions for higher education, motivated by factors such as degree recognition, career opportunities, and access to educational resources that are unavailable elsewhere (Arar & Haj-Yehia, 2018). This educational choice positions them uniquely as potential institutional change agents who challenge deficit paradigms through their success while maintaining cultural integrity and community commitment.

Research questions.

This study addresses the following research questions:

• What are the educational experiences of Palestinian female students from East Jerusalem in Israeli higher education institutions?
• How do these students navigate the challenges they encounter during their studies?
• How do these students understand and maintain their cultural identity within their educational settings?

2. Methodology

2.1. Design

This study employs semi-structured, in-depth interviews to explore participants’ experiences, recognizing that individuals can provide valuable insights into how they navigate complex social environments through detailed discussions of their challenges and strategies (Braun & Clarke, 2021). This qualitative interview approach aligns well with intersectionality theory, as it acknowledges that individuals’ experiences stem from their positioning at multiple intersections of identity and power relations, making it particularly suitable for examining Palestinian women’s educational experiences (Phoenix, 2013). The interpretivist stance adopted in this research reflects the contemporary understanding that knowledge emerges through social interaction within specific contexts, an approach that is particularly valuable when studying experiences shaped by complex political and cultural circumstances (Chase, 2018; Denzin & Lincoln, 2018).

This methodological approach directly addresses the study’s research questions by enabling Palestinian female students to articulate their educational experiences without imposing predetermined interpretative frameworks. The semi-structured interview format provides sufficient structure to explore institutional navigation while maintaining flexibility for participants to identify themes significant to their own experiences. This design choice acknowledges that meaningful understanding of complex educational experiences emerges through careful attention to participants’ meaning-making processes rather than through researcher-imposed analytical categories.

The decision to focus exclusively on women’s educational journeys addresses methodological concerns raised by Murphy-Graham and Lloyd (2016), who argue that women’s empowerment through education involves unique processes that require separate study, as female strategies for overcoming institutional barriers may be overlooked in mixed-gender research. This research employs an interpretivist approach, viewing knowledge as socially constructed within specific contexts (Chase, 2018). This exclusive focus on women’s experiences responds to documented evidence that Palestinian women’s educational decision-making involves negotiations with institutional and cultural expectations that differ markedly from those encountered by their male counterparts (Abu-Rabia-Queder & Arar, 2011). Women’s strategies for navigating higher education within contested political contexts require analytical attention that might be obscured in mixed-gender studies where male experiences could overshadow these particular dynamics. This methodological choice ensures adequate analytical depth for understanding how gender intersects with other identity markers to shape educational experiences.

2.2. Participants

Forty Palestinian female students from East Jerusalem enrolled in Israeli higher education institutions participated in this study, spanning diverse academic fields, institution types, and educational levels. Participants aged 19–26 years who hold Jerusalem identity cards as permanent residents have a distinct legal status, which sets them apart from other Palestinian populations. This group was selected for their unique position at the intersections of marginalized identities within institutions that give privilege to Jewish Israeli perspectives. Snowball sampling was used, starting with known participants who recommended similar peers. Data saturation occurred after 36 interviews, with 4 additional interviews confirming that no new themes emerged.

2.3. Data Collection

Data collection involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 40 participants, which allowed for the exploration of emerging themes (Creswell & Poth, 2018). Interviews lasted 90–120 min and were conducted in Arabic and translated into English while preserving meaning and emotional content (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The interview protocol addressed educational backgrounds, motivations for institutional choice, experiences with barriers, resistance strategies, cultural integrity maintenance, and perceptions of how institutional disparity is reproduced.

2.4. Analysis

The analytical approach adheres to established protocols for thematic analysis in educational research, ensuring the systematic identification of patterns across participants while preserving the individual narrative integrity. This methodology balances cross-case comparison with attention to unique circumstances that illuminate diverse approaches to similar institutional challenges.

Analysis employed a thematic analysis methodology, focusing on the identification of cross-participant patterns and meaning-making (Braun & Clarke, 2006, 2021). Transcripts were independently coded with themes emerging through iterative comparison until saturation was achieved, ensuring analytical rigor.

The analysis involved iterative steps moving between individual responses and cross-case patterns: familiarization through repeated transcript reading and audio review; initial coding identifying significant passages and preliminary themes; thematic category development through iterative pattern comparison; theme refinement through validity checking against original data; and interpretation relating themes to research questions and theoretical frameworks (Creswell & Poth, 2018).

2.5. Trustworthiness

Multiple strategies ensured authentic representation of participant experiences (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). External review by Palestinian education specialists, who were uninvolved in data collection, offered alternative analytical perspectives and helped identify bias (Creswell & Poth, 2018). Continuous reflexive documentation recorded assumptions, methodological decisions, and analytical insights to maintain research transparency (Finlay, 2002).

2.6. Ethics

Ethical protocols prioritized participant welfare and confidentiality, given the sensitive nature of discussing institutional discrimination within politically contested environments (Dickson-Swift et al., 2007; Israel & Hay, 2006). Participants received comprehensive information regarding study objectives, data use, and withdrawal rights before providing written and verbal consent. Anonymity was maintained through the use of pseudonyms and modified identifying details, while preserving experiential authenticity (Liamputtong, 2007).

All data were produced in Arabic and translated into English by Claude (https://www.anthropic.com, accessed on 28 December 2024), an AI-driven language tool.

3. Findings

Through thematic analysis of interviews with 40 Palestinian female students from East Jerusalem, seven interconnected themes emerged, demonstrating how participants transform intersectional marginalization into critical competencies: strategic choice-making, institutional navigation, academic resilience, cultural preservation, intercultural bridging, community orientation, and critical consciousness. These themes reveal how students mobilize community cultural wealth to succeed despite systematic barriers while developing complex resistance and empowerment strategies.

3.1. Strategic Educational Choice-Making

All participants described complex decision-making when choosing universities, weighing multiple factors despite limited options. What mattered most differed: some focused on program availability and academic quality, others prioritized career prospects and degree recognition, while others emphasized family dynamics and community expectations. This challenges deficit paradigms that assume marginalized students lack analytical capabilities.

Aseel’s reflection illustrates the multidimensional thinking characteristic of all participants.

“Choosing to study here was not just about education; I had to think about risks and benefits in many ways. I had to consider the academic benefits versus the cultural challenges, job opportunities versus discrimination I might face, family support versus community criticism.”

This complex analytical approach was echoed across participants, though with different emphases. Tala connected her choice to systematic exclusion in program availability.

“I decided on Hebrew University because they had the specific program that Palestinian universities do not offer. Also, because of the better education quality and more opportunities after graduation.”

Rawan described her comprehensive decision-making approach that prioritized both academic excellence and career viability.

“The first thing I thought about regarding education was studying at a recognized university with a strong educational program. The mutual respect I experienced from the lecturers during the preparatory year further encouraged me to choose it. I knew that upon graduation, I would not need to authenticate my certificate and struggle to find a job in many places. So, I chose the Hebrew University, the best and strongest university in the country.”

Mona emphasized career-focused strategic considerations despite anticipating discrimination.

“Choosing an Israeli university was mainly influenced by the advanced educational standards and career opportunities available. I believed that attending a well-recognized institution would pave the way for better job prospects.”

Watan described her artistic aspirations within geographical and institutional constraints.

“I always wanted to study fashion design, and my initial thought was to apply to Shenkar, but it was too far in Tel Aviv. While studying Hebrew at Beit Ha’am, one of the teachers suggested applying to Bezalel, known for its high level of design…”

These varied strategic approaches demonstrate how Palestinian female students navigate constrained educational options by employing analytical thinking that balances immediate academic needs with long-term career goals, while anticipating institutional barriers. The strategic choice-making process established the foundation for the institutional navigation skills participants subsequently developed. These decisions show that the women did not simply “end up” in Israeli universities, but actively weighed risks, opportunities, and values in choosing the best of limited options.

3.2. Institutional Navigation and Strategic Adaptation

Every participant learned how to navigate university systems that were not designed for Palestinian students, developing different strategies depending on their field of study, language background, and personal circumstances. The process involved figuring out institutional expectations, building strategic relationships while protecting against discrimination, and maintaining their cultural identity within often hostile environments.

Language barriers emerged as a universal challenge requiring strategic adaptation. Aya’s detailed account represents the systematic approach many participants developed.

“Of course, I face difficulty… I am in a college that’s entirely Jewish, and the administrators are Jewish, so all my education is completely in Hebrew. I face much difficulty. There are words at a level that I cannot comprehend or understand, so I have to ask more than one person to understand what they are… the language in exams causes me not to understand the question, or I do not understand what they mean by the question they are asking me in the exam, which affects me.”

Beyond language challenges, participants developed advanced institutional literacy while maintaining cultural integrity. Amal’s experience illustrates this complex balancing act.

“Initially, I struggled with the institutional culture and expectations. The academic style differed from what I was accustomed to in high school, and I had to learn how to communicate effectively in this environment while maintaining my identity. I learned to identify which professors and students were open to cross-cultural dialogue and which ones held prejudiced views about us.”

Strategic relationship building within hostile environments required careful assessment of institutional actors. Reema’s approach exemplifies this cautious but determined strategy.

“The campus environment was challenging. The university operates primarily in Hebrew, and many cultural references assume knowledge of Jewish Israeli society. I had to learn not just academic content but also how to navigate an institution that was not designed for students like me. I focused my energy on building meaningful academic relationships while protecting myself from unnecessary conflicts.”

Participants also developed analytical skills for identifying systematic exclusion in institutional practices. Sanabil’s observation, like many other participants, represents this critical awareness.

“I noticed that many university practices and rules seemed to assume all students were Jewish Israelis. From religious holidays to cultural events, I often felt like my background was not thought about.”

The persistence required for self-advocacy in discriminatory environments is evident in classroom interactions. Layla’s experience demonstrates this determined approach.

“When I did not understand the explanation well, I asked the teacher to explain again. She explained and answered my question, but she used some terms I did not understand. So, I asked her to explain the sentence she said, what she meant by what she said. Nevertheless, she did not explain and told me she explained once, and if I still do not understand, I can ask someone else, like a student who understood what she said.”

Differential treatment persisted, even when participants achieved academic excellence. One participant’s experience reveals this ongoing bias.

“I got the highest grades in one subject, but the teacher thanked my Jewish classmate for her achievements during the course. Her achievements were not different from what I did, whether in practical work or grades.”

These patterns of institutional navigation show how participants transformed systematic barriers into opportunities for developing advanced adaptive capabilities, strategic thinking, and institutional analysis skills. The navigation strategies they developed directly enabled the academic transformation described in the following theme. These women developed thoughtful, cautious, and flexible strategies to succeed in systems that were not built with them in mind, turning daily struggles into learning experiences.

3.3. Academic Resilience and Excellence Development

Every participant underwent a process of building resilience and transforming academic challenges into personal growth, although the specific struggles varied by field of study and individual circumstances. What remained consistent was how students learned to advocate for themselves, develop strategic problem-solving skills, and achieve academic independence, often excelling in their studies.

The intensity of academic challenges and subsequent growth is exemplified in Watan’s detailed account.

“The first two years at Bezalel were very tough. Learning Hebrew was much more difficult because I had to learn technical and artistic terms. I struggled with the Hebrew language and the complex artistic terminology. I had to put in much effort to catch up and understand the coursework. There were many times I thought about quitting due to the language barrier and the long study hours. Nevertheless, I persevered, and now I realize how this struggle made me stronger and more determined.”

Academic achievement reached high levels despite initial barriers. A nursing student’s reflection demonstrates this excellence in development.

“…my academic achievement in high school was good because the required basic subjects were not among my interests, but I studied them because they were required and imposed in high school. However, in university, the situation differs because I study the specialization I want, which is nursing, a field I had aspired to study. Therefore, when studying, it is easier because the content aligns with my interests. Therefore, my achievement is from very good to excellent sometimes, which gives me energy to complete my educational journey with the same energy, love, and thinking about the future in conscious ways.”

The development of transferable professional competencies through academic struggle appeared consistently across participants. Zinab’s systematic approach illustrates this pattern.

“Language barriers and university expectations were significant challenges. Improving language skills and finding supportive faculty members helped me adapt to an environment that often felt unwelcoming. The difficulties I faced in adapting to different academic cultures taught me flexibility and problem-solving skills that I use constantly in my professional work.”

Independence and self-advocacy emerged as crucial capabilities developed through academic challenges. Rana’s reflection captures this transformation.

“My academic performance differed from high school. In university, I had to be much more independent and advocate for myself. The university expected us to figure things out on our own, which was challenging but also helped me develop resilience. What seemed like barriers became growth opportunities.”

Personality development accompanied academic achievement. One participant described this comprehensive transformation.

“You cannot leave university without it affecting your personality and having a fundamental effect on you, your ideas, and life. My personality developed greatly in terms of self-confidence, presentation skills, and speaking.”

Professional satisfaction and future advancement opportunities resulted from this transformation process. Another participant emphasized her career preparation.

“…I am very satisfied with my profession because I chose it with conviction and love, and this specialization has been my dream since childhood… Now I am in the place where I feel I truly belong, and I am very pleased with the profession, and there are also opportunities for academic advancement to get master’s and doctoral degrees.”

These patterns of academic transformation show how participants systematically converted institutional barriers into opportunities for developing resilience, self-advocacy, and strategic problem-solving skills while achieving concrete academic excellence. The confidence and cultural pride developed through this process directly contributed to the identity strengthening described in the next theme. What started as overwhelming challenges became sources of strength, as students learned to speak up for themselves and discovered they could achieve excellence even when the odds were against them.

3.4. Cultural Identity Strengthening as Resistance

Rather than weakening their Palestinian identity, facing discrimination actually strengthened participants’ cultural connections and pride, though they expressed this in different ways. Some chose visible resistance through dress and presence, others focused on preserving internal cultural knowledge, and many combined both approaches. This identity-strengthening process served dual purposes: it empowered individuals and fostered collective resistance.

Visible identity expression through dress and presence represented one approach to resistance. Riham’s way exemplifies this confrontation with discrimination.

“… I feel much discrimination because I am Arab and I am Palestinian. I love attending lectures where they can see that I am Arab and notice that I wear hijab, which clearly shows my Arab Palestinian identity. I do not try to hide who I am; instead, I take pride in my identity and want others to see the strength and knowledge that comes from my Palestinian background.”

The paradoxical effect of discrimination strengthening cultural pride appeared across participants. Maysaa’s experience illustrates this transformative response.

“My Palestinian identity gives me a unique perspective that enriches my academic work and professional contributions. Rather than seeing it as something to overcome, I have learned to value it as a distinctive asset. Being in an environment where my culture is often misunderstood made me more determined to learn about and preserve Palestinian traditions.”

Internal cultural knowledge preservation represented an alternative approach to identity strengthening. Sanaa’s reflection demonstrates this deeper cultural connection.

“Studying in a place where people did not understand or respect my Palestinian heritage had the opposite effect—it made me dig deeper into my roots. I started learning more about our traditional songs, our poetry, and our way of seeing the world. Instead of making me want to blend in, it made me realize how precious our culture is. My grandmother’s stories, our traditional embroidery patterns, even the way we prepare food—all of this became like armor that protected me and gave me confidence. I was not just a student trying to fit in anymore; I was carrying forward thousands of years of Palestinian wisdom and resilience.”

Confidence-building through resistance was consistently observed among participants who faced racism. Wafaa’s experience shows this empowerment process.

“There were racist moments in the university environment, where some students and even some teachers looked at us strangely and did not like seeing Palestinian students at the university. However, I felt that my presence there as an Arab Palestinian student was important, and it made me more confident.”

Determination and identity strengthening through systematic challenges became a defining characteristic. Yara’s summary captures this transformation.

“When professors would dismiss our viewpoints or classmates would make ignorant comments about Palestinians, it hurt at first. Nevertheless, then something shifted inside me. Each time someone tried to silence our stories or act as if we did not belong there, it only made me prouder of who I am. I started speaking up more in class discussions, sharing our perspective on history, on conflict, on what it means to belong to this land. The more they tried to make me invisible, the more visible I became. It is like they were trying to erase us from the conversation, but instead they just made me realize how important it is for Palestinian voices to be heard in these academic spaces.”

These varied but consistent patterns of identity strengthening demonstrate how participants transformed cultural and national–political conflicts into opportunities for empowerment. Instead of feeling like they had to hide who they were, participants found that facing discrimination made them prouder of being Palestinian and more connected to their roots.

3.5. Building Cross-Cultural Bridges

Building relationships across ethnic and religious differences proved challenging but important for most participants, requiring careful navigation skills within institutional environments that often discouraged such connections. Students developed varied approaches: some built strategic professional relationships while maintaining clear boundaries, others pursued deeper friendships with carefully selected individuals. In contrast, some still others focused mainly on Arab peer networks while maintaining superficial interactions with Jewish students. Political tensions significantly affected these dynamics, creating additional barriers that participants learned to navigate strategically.

A strategic assessment of relationship potential has become essential for successful cross-cultural navigation. Marah’s approach illustrates this careful evaluation process.

“Building relationships with Jewish Israeli students meant learning to read people carefully. I would watch how they reacted when I mentioned where I am from, or how they responded to political discussions in class. Some would genuinely ask about Palestinian culture, wanting to understand our traditions and food, while others would immediately shut down or make assumptions. I learned to start with small conversations—maybe about coursework or shared interests—and gradually see if they were truly open to friendship or just being polite. With the right people, I could share stories about my family’s history or invite them to try my mother’s cooking. However, I also learned to protect myself from those who saw me as a symbol rather than a person.”

Intentional bridge-building while maintaining an authentic identity required striking a balance between competing demands. Dalia’s approach demonstrates this complex negotiation.

“I started small—sharing Palestinian sweets during study breaks or explaining our holidays when classmates seemed curious. I learned to spot the difference between genuine interest and politeness. Some Jewish Israeli students asked real questions about our traditions and struggles, leading to honest conversations even about politics. During tense times, when other Arab students avoided their Jewish classmates, I kept studying with mine while still wearing my Palestinian bracelet and speaking my truth. These friendships taught me you can build bridges without crossing your own red lines—it is about finding people who respect your story even when they do not fully agree.”

Developing professional relationships through cultural explanations has become a valuable skill. Alma’s experience shows this educational approach.

“…Their treatment of me is normal, and when they ask questions because I am Muslim, they ask normally, making me feel there is no bad purpose behind the question. They want to understand my personality and how strong my identity is… These interactions taught me skills in explaining my culture and faith in ways that build understanding.”

Overcoming initial fears to build cross-cultural connections required the gradual development of confidence. Sanabil’s evolution illustrates this growth process.

“Initially, there was difficulty communicating with Jewish peers within our courses… I was afraid to talk to them. Later, I opened up more and started talking to them more… I have many Jewish and Arab friends now, though the university environment still creates barriers.”

Institutional barriers limited the depth of the relationship for some participants. Rasha’s honest assessment reveals these environmental constraints.

“My relationship with my Arab peers is very good, but my relationship with my Jewish peers is superficial. I do not mix with them much, knowing that they outnumber us in classes and lectures. Sometimes, I feel that a gap exists between us, created by the campus environment; I do not know how to interact with them. Occasionally, I engage in conversations with them only if we have shared assignments.”

Political violence severely tested cross-cultural relationships, as one participant’s experience during campus attacks demonstrates.

“I stayed home because there were what they called street wars between Arabs and Jews, unfortunately, even in universities. The events reached the Hebrew University Mount Scopus campus, where many Jewish students attacked Palestinian students with physical and verbal violence. I was not surprised when some of my Jewish classmates distanced themselves from me and blocked me.”

These varied approaches to cross-cultural relationship building demonstrate how participants developed advanced intercultural competencies despite significant institutional and political barriers. The professional skills gained through this complex navigation are connected directly to participants’ community-oriented career visions. Even when tensions were high, many participants managed to build genuine friendships and working relationships across ethnic and religious lines, showing emotional maturity and wisdom about when to trust and when to protect themselves.

3.6. Community-Oriented Career Planning

All participants focused on using their education to benefit the Palestinian community alongside achieving personal success, though this took different forms depending on their field and circumstances. Some planned entrepreneurial ventures aimed to create opportunities for other Palestinian women, while others engaged in direct mentoring and tutoring. Many described service-oriented career goals that addressed community needs, and several sought strategic positioning in fields where Palestinian perspectives were underrepresented.

Entrepreneurial visions focused on community development appeared across multiple participants. Waad’s business planning illustrates this collective orientation.

“I want to expand my business and have a place where customers can come and see the clothes, not just online. I want to create opportunities for other Palestinian women in fashion and design while building something that serves our community. My education helps me understand both the business side and the cultural significance of what I am doing.”

Service-oriented career approaches connected personal achievement to community advancement. Wisal’s perspective demonstrates this integrated vision.

“My education is not just about my personal success; it is about creating pathways for other Palestinian women and contributing to my community’s development. This gives my studies deeper meaning and motivation. I want to work in areas where I can address the specific needs of Palestinian families and children. When I see young Palestinian girls struggling with the same barriers I faced, I know my degree will help me mentor them and show them what is possible despite the obstacles.”

Mentoring aspirations based on personal experience appeared frequently among participants. Saly’s goals illustrate this support-oriented approach.

“I want to use my education to help other Palestinian students navigate the challenges I faced. My goal is to become a counselor who can provide the support that I wish I had received. This experience taught me how important it is to have someone who understands your background.”

Concrete mentoring activities were already occurring during participants’ studies. One participant’s tutoring work demonstrates this immediate community impact.

“I taught a girl for 5 years… she was failing, and now she is excelling. I taught her art and fashion design, and the beautiful thing about this is that, over the past five years, the only thing that helped her remember things was through drawing. So, I became convinced of the importance of art and its positive aspects… This girl was failing in school and had makeup exams, but after I started teaching her, she started to excel and no longer had makeup exams.”

Long-term career visions balanced individual success with community contribution while acknowledging ongoing discrimination. Reem’s comprehensive planning illustrates this strategic approach.

“In ten years, I see myself established as a social worker while actively contributing to Palestinian community development. My education opened doors that might not have been available otherwise, but I know Palestinian professionals face ongoing discrimination in hiring, advancement, and professional recognition. That is exactly why I need to succeed—to prove we belong in these spaces and to use my position to lift other Palestinian voices who deserve the same opportunities I fought for.”

Strategic positioning in underrepresented fields became a key career approach. Hadeel’s planning demonstrates this systematic thinking.

“My career planning involves positioning myself as a conflict resolution specialist in fields where Palestinian perspectives are needed but currently underrepresented. I am developing expertise in areas like mediation and cross-cultural communication, fields where my lived experience becomes an asset rather than a barrier. Organizations dealing with international conflicts or diverse communities need people who truly understand what it means to navigate between different worlds and find common ground even in the most difficult situations.”

These patterns of community-oriented career planning demonstrate how participants reimagined the purpose of higher education, connecting individual achievement to collective empowerment and the development of the Palestinian community. For these women, education was never just about personal success; it was always connected to helping their families, communities, and future generations of Palestinian students.

3.7. Developing Critical Political Consciousness

Navigating political tensions at their universities compelled participants to develop a critical awareness of how institutional power operates, enabling them to analyze discrimination while maintaining their academic focus during intense political periods. Everyone developed an enhanced understanding of how institutional responses to political events systematically disadvantaged Palestinian students while privileging Jewish Israeli students. This political consciousness involved three key elements: analytical skills for understanding institutional power operations, strategic emotional regulation during political crises, and advocacy capabilities for challenging discriminatory treatment.

An analytical awareness of differential institutional treatment during periods of political tension emerged among participants. Roaya’s assessment illustrates this critical analysis.

“Honestly, I feel a difference in university treatment. I do not know if it is really because of the political situation or not, but I felt a big difference in treatment between Arabs and Jews, especially during university protests. The educational atmosphere disappeared during political tensions, and the university’s response seemed to make the gap between students bigger, increasing discrimination and lack of acceptance toward us. When Jewish students would organize rallies, security would stand by calmly, but when we tried to express our views, suddenly there were strict rules about gatherings. Professors who had once been friendly became distant, and I noticed how quickly academic discussions turned into uncomfortable silences whenever the topic of Palestine was mentioned. It felt like we were being watched and judged differently.”

Strategic analysis of faculty responses during political crises became essential for academic survival. Mona’s approach demonstrates this discriminating assessment.

“Political events and tensions affected the university atmosphere, creating a gap between Arab and Jewish students. However, some teachers stayed professional and supportive despite the challenging climate. I learned to distinguish between those who maintained an educational focus and those who allowed politics to influence their treatment of students. The fair professors would still call on me in class discussions and give constructive feedback, while others suddenly became cold and dismissive.”

Systematic surveillance and differential treatment for political expression became evident to participants. One detailed experience illustrates this discriminatory monitoring.

“I put the Palestinian flag next to my name in several study groups on WhatsApp and sent a message to ask about something related to the course material, a question representing the whole group of Palestinian and Jewish students. The shocking response came from the Israeli teacher, who said: ‘We here do not express our political belonging and you have no right to do so.’”

Complex emotional and strategic management during political conflicts required nuanced self-regulation skills. Zina’s description captures this demanding process.

“Managing the emotional impact of political tensions while keeping academic focus required developing emotional control and strategic thinking skills. During political conflicts, the university environment became hostile in ways that affected my ability to concentrate on academic work, participate fully in class discussions, and maintain relationships with Jewish Israeli peers. I had to learn when to speak up and when to stay quiet, how to protect my mental health while still showing up to class, and how to separate my personal pain from my academic responsibilities. Some days I would sit in lectures hearing professors make subtle comments about ‘both sides’ while my family was directly affected by the violence outside.”

Systematic policy impacts on disadvantaged Palestinian students became apparent during political tensions. Tala’s analysis shows this institutional bias.

“Political tensions created additional challenges, especially during periods of increased conflict. This affected university policies, interactions with peers, and the overall educational environment in ways that hurt Palestinian students. I noticed how quickly new security measures appeared that seemed to target us specifically—extra ID checks, restrictions on our student organizations, while Jewish student groups continued their activities freely. The administration would send emails about ‘maintaining neutrality,’ but their actions clearly favored one side over the other.”

Physical safety concerns significantly impacted the daily educational experiences of many participants. One account demonstrates this pervasive threat environment.

“I did not face many of these problems at the university, but I faced them a lot on the roads and when I went out for transportation, to the point that I started carrying pepper spray in my bag because the Jews were beating the Arabs and they did not differentiate between a girl or a boy. They just saw me wearing a hijab and got excited about me, even on normal days when there was no event. My mother would call me every hour when I was traveling, worried that something might happen to me just for being visibly Palestinian on public transportation.”

These patterns show how participants developed multidimensional political awareness, conflict management skills, and advocacy capabilities essential for leadership in complex professional environments. Experiencing discrimination during political crises taught students to understand how institutional power operates, helping them recognize patterns and think strategically about creating change.

4. Discussion

The journeys shared by the 40 Palestinian women in this study reveal far more than academic survival; they reflect a profoundly human story of determination, identity, and quiet resistance. What began as stories of marginalization unfolded into seven distinct yet connected strategies of empowerment, each shaped by personal insight, cultural pride, and political awareness. These women did not passively navigate the system; they actively transformed it from within, using their own lived experiences to create space for growth not only for themselves but also for their communities. I examine how these seven interconnected themes work together to challenge traditional deficit-based approaches and reveal new understandings of student success within unequal institutional systems. The findings advance diversity science by demonstrating how intersectional marginalization can generate forms of empowerment that combine analytical rigor with deep cultural knowledge.

Most importantly, these findings reveal the profound human spirit of Palestinian women who, despite facing systematic discrimination and hostility, choose to embrace educational opportunities with determination and hope. As Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish wrote, “We have on this earth what makes life worth living,” and these women embody this life-affirming philosophy through their strategic approach to education (Darwish, 2003). They demonstrate that Palestinians do indeed “love life” and find ways to flourish even within challenging circumstances, transforming what could be experiences of defeat into opportunities for growth, learning, and community empowerment.

The strategic choice-making demonstrated by participants reveals consedible decision-making processes that fundamentally challenge traditional models of educational choice in higher education research. All participants described complex, multidimensional planning processes that involved systematically evaluating constrained options while maintaining a focus on both individual advancement and community transformation. Their educational decisions embody what Freire (1970) describes as critical consciousness applied to educational planning, where students understand their choices as acts of cultural preservation and resistance to systematic oppression. These women’s strategic thinking exemplifies what contemporary research identifies as culturally responsive educational navigation, where students from marginalized communities leverage cultural knowledge and analytical capabilities to navigate institutional barriers (Anyichie & Butler, 2023; Gay, 2010).

Recent research shows that Palestinian students face unprecedented attacks on their educational rights, with systematic educational control and armed raids on institutions (Defense for Children Palestine, 2025; Middle East Studies Association, 2025). Unlike privileged students with multiple options, these women navigate severely constrained choices that require extraordinary strategic thinking (Mansour, 2024). Their sophisticated planning challenges deficit perspectives, revealing how systematic exclusion can develop competencies that enable success while maintaining cultural integrity (Diab, 2025; Nazzal et al., 2024).

The institutional navigation strategies participants developed show how students can resist and work within oppressive systems while preserving what makes life meaningful to them. Every participant developed sophisticated strategies for navigating university systems that were not designed for Palestinian students, demonstrating what can be conceptualized as strategic institutional engagement, the capacity to extract educational value from hostile environments while resisting cultural assimilation pressures (Collins, 2019). This aligns with Abu-Gweder’s (2022) research, which shows that Hebrew language requirements serve as systematic exclusion mechanisms affecting Arab female students. This everyday persistence reflects what Ryan (2015) describes as Palestinian women practicing sumoud, where seemingly ordinary acts of educational pursuit become profound forms of political empowerment.

These navigation skills align with contemporary research showing that institutions worldwide are moving beyond deficit models toward approaches that build upon students’ cultural assets and community knowledge, with marginalized women facing particularly complex challenges requiring navigation strategies (Grabsch et al., 2023; Pell Institute, 2024; Bixby, 2024).

Their navigation skills challenge frameworks that assume institutional accommodation requires cultural compromise. Instead, our findings demonstrate how complex boundary maintenance enables students to preserve cultural integrity while achieving educational goals, embodying the Palestinian concept of “sumoud” (steadfastness)—remaining rooted in their identity while strategically adapting to challenging circumstances (Shehadeh & Alayan, 2025). This demonstrates what Collins (1986) describes as “insider-outsider knowledge”—understanding how to survive in dominant cultures while experiencing exclusion. Recent documentation reveals unprecedented disciplinary actions targeting Palestinian students for identity expressions while ignoring similar expressions by Jewish Israeli students, creating hostile academic environments (Adalah, 2024; Totry-Jubran, 2024).

The academic resilience demonstrated by participants extends understanding of transformative learning by illustrating how oppressive conditions can strengthen students when they possess cultural frameworks that reframe challenges as opportunities (Cranton, 2016; Mezirow, 1997; Taylor, 2007). Every participant built resilience while achieving academic success, challenging individualistic frameworks and revealing how collective cultural resources enable students to transform barriers into opportunities for developing critical consciousness (Murphy-Graham & Lloyd, 2016).

This aligns with research showing that significant personal growth occurs through navigating challenges within supportive cultural frameworks (Cranton, 2016; Markey et al., 2023). Current trends emphasize recognizing diverse cultural capital and asset-based perspectives that build on student strengths (Bourdieu, 1986; Grabsch et al., 2023; Yosso, 2005; Ipsos, 2025). The participants’ experiences embody Darwish’s vision of finding “what makes life worth living” through education, transforming potential trauma into leadership development opportunities (Alshdiefat et al., 2024; Darwish, 2003).

The cultural identity strengthening revealed in our findings challenges assimilationist models that assume academic success requires abandoning cultural practices. Rather than weakening their Palestinian identity, participants described how facing discrimination strengthened their cultural connections, demonstrating approaches to cultural preservation that enhance academic achievement. Their approaches embody “sumoud” (steadfastness)—remaining rooted in identity while strategically adapting without compromising core values (Diab, 2024; Marie et al., 2017). This challenges frameworks that position cultural maintenance and academic achievement as conflicting goals, revealing how cultural preservation can strengthen educational success (Anyichie & Butler, 2023; Gay, 2010).

This aligns with research showing that students who maintain strong cultural connections often achieve higher success than those who attempt to assimilate (Bécares & Priest, 2015). The participants’ identity affirmation demonstrates what Collins (2019) describes as critical consciousness, which enables the analysis of institutional power. Their practices contribute to understanding how institutions can recognize diverse cultural assets rather than requiring students to abandon cultural knowledge systems (Crenshaw, 1991). Research emphasizes that academic success is enhanced when students’ cultural knowledge is valued (Anyichie & Butler, 2023; Gay, 2010).

The intercultural bridge-building capabilities developed by participants advance understanding of how cross-cultural competence can emerge from experiences of marginalization rather than privilege. Building relationships across ethnic and religious differences required careful navigation skills within institutional environments that often discouraged such connections, yet participants developed intercultural competencies. Their capacity to build meaningful relationships despite institutional segregation and hostility illustrates cross-cultural navigation skills that research identifies as essential for leadership in diverse professional environments (Zhou et al., 2024). Their bridge-building efforts challenge diversity approaches that assume equal power relations, instead demonstrating how meaningful intercultural engagement requires attention to structural inequalities and historical contexts.

These achievements become even more remarkable given recent documentation revealing that Palestinian students face systematic targeting for political expression, with “educide” policies designed to destroy Palestinian educational institutions (Iriqat et al., 2025). Their bridge-building efforts took place within contexts of increasing institutional hostility, including physical and verbal attacks during periods of heightened political tension (Mansour, 2024). The participants’ capacity to assess which individuals were open to authentic dialogue while protecting themselves from discrimination demonstrates cultural intelligence that exceeds technical frameworks, revealing how marginalized students possess advanced analytical capabilities for navigating complex social dynamics not recognized by traditional assessment systems.

The community-oriented career planning demonstrated by participants fundamentally challenges individualistic success models that dominate higher education discourse. Participants consistently described using their education to benefit Palestinian community development alongside achieving personal success, demonstrating that educational success can serve collective empowerment rather than individual advancement alone. These approaches reveal how participants transform individual educational achievements into collective empowerment strategies, embodying what research identifies as culturally responsive career development (Ali & Saunders, 2006; Murphy-Graham & Lloyd, 2016; Solórzano & Villalpando, 1998). This aligns with recent research indicating that community-oriented approaches often result in higher levels of professional satisfaction and social impact compared to purely individualistic career models (Naim, 2025). This reflects Abu-Gweder’s (2024) finding that Palestinian women view teaching as a strategic career path balancing family support with professional achievement.

The participants’ entrepreneurial visions, mentoring commitments, and service-oriented goals illustrate strategic career planning that positions them to address systematic barriers facing Palestinian community members while achieving personal success. This collective orientation represents a fundamental reimagining of the purpose of higher education, demonstrating how educational empowerment can extend beyond individual achievement to create systemic change and community uplift (Tzanakou & Pearce, 2019).

The critical consciousness development demonstrated through managing politically complex academic environments illustrates how students can transform hostile conditions into opportunities for developing analytical competencies essential for social justice leadership (Freire, 1970). Every participant developed wise awareness of how institutional responses systematically disadvantaged Palestinian students while privileging Jewish Israeli students, developing competencies in conflict analysis and strategic communication that exceed typical undergraduate expectations (Collins & Bilge, 2020).

These skills became crucial as recent documentation reveals Palestinian students face unprecedented disciplinary actions for political expression while similar expressions by Jewish Israeli students are ignored (Adalah, 2024; Totry-Jubran, 2024). Their ability to analyze these double standards while maintaining academic success demonstrates political consciousness that prepares them for leadership in complex environments (Alshdiefat et al., 2024). This supports research showing that students who develop critical consciousness through navigating oppression often possess more analytical capabilities than those developing skills in comfortable circumstances (Cranton, 2016; Collins & Bilge, 2020).

These seven interconnected competencies advance diversity science by revealing how intersectional marginalization can generate distinctive empowerment strategies that challenge institutional disparities while preserving cultural integrity (Crenshaw, 1991; Collins, 2019). Our findings demonstrate that achieving educational equity requires institutional transformation that recognizes diverse forms of community cultural wealth rather than expecting marginalized students to adapt to hostile cultures.

This aligns with intersectionality research, which emphasizes how multiple identities create entirely new forms of experience (Christoffersen & Emejulu, 2022; McCormick-Huhn et al., 2019). The participants’ experiences illustrate this constitutive intersectionality, where their gender, ethnicity, and location create unique forms of marginalization that require distinctive navigation strategies while developing exceptional competencies.

The participants’ experiences illustrate constitutive intersectionality, where their gender, ethnicity, and location create unique institutional marginalization requiring distinctive navigation strategies while developing exceptional competencies. This extends Yosso’s (2005) and Grabsch et al.’s (2023) community cultural wealth framework by demonstrating how marginalized students mobilize cultural assets to transform barriers into educational opportunities (Jin et al., 2022; Nunes & Andrade, 2024).

Our findings show possibilities for approaches that challenge deficit paradigms while building upon cultural assets that marginalized students contribute to educational environments. The participants demonstrate that diversity represents institutional assets rather than challenges, requiring transformation of institutional cultures to welcome and learn from diverse populations. These contributions offer frameworks applicable to marginalized populations globally who navigate hostile environments while maintaining cultural integrity (Antoninis et al., 2023; OECD, 2024).

5. Implications

This research reveals how Palestinian women from East Jerusalem transform intersectional marginalization into critical competencies through seven empowerment strategies. These findings challenge deficit-based approaches while providing concrete guidance for supporting multiply marginalized women in higher education globally.

5.1. Institutional Policy Recommendations

Israeli universities should establish programs to support the academic success of Palestinian women, recognizing the strategic thinking and institutional navigation skills these students develop. Rather than viewing Arabic–Hebrew bilingualism as a means of accommodating needs, institutions should create multilingual academic support, positioning language diversity as an institutional asset. This aligns with scholarship on culturally responsive pedagogy, demonstrating that educational outcomes improve when institutions recognize students’ cultural assets rather than requiring abandonment of indigenous knowledge systems (Anyichie & Butler, 2023; Gay, 2010).

Female mentorship networks connecting Palestinian women across disciplines would leverage the community-oriented career planning and intercultural bridge-building competencies revealed in our findings. Assessment practices require revision to capture analytical skills developed through managing intersectional challenges. Project-based evaluations should supplement traditional examinations, allowing students to demonstrate strategic problem-solving and cross-cultural communication competencies that our participants consistently developed. Financial aid policies must address the unique legal status of East Jerusalem residents as permanent residents, who face employment restrictions and limited access to national funding.

5.2. Career Development and Recognition Systems

Career development services should systematically identify leadership competencies these students develop, including strategic analysis, conflict mediation, cross-cultural communication, and community stewardship, which represent significant assets for organizations prioritizing diversity and social responsibility. The intercultural competencies that marginalized women develop through institutional navigation represent valuable assets for employers seeking to enhance organizational diversity.

These empowerment strategies apply beyond Palestinian contexts to Indigenous women in settler colonial environments, refugee women accessing higher education, and first-generation female students from working-class backgrounds. Universities worldwide should develop frameworks that recognize how women’s navigation of intersectional positioning creates leadership competencies that benefit entire institutional communities.

5.3. Future Research Directions

Longitudinal studies should track how these empowerment strategies influence post-graduation professional success and community transformation. Comparative research examining similar navigation patterns among intersectionally marginalized women in different contested contexts would clarify which findings reflect Palestinian-specific versus universal intersectional dynamics. Mixed methods studies should explore gender-specific dimensions of institutional marginalization, as women’s strategies for managing multiple forms of discrimination may differ substantially from male approaches to educational barriers.

These findings advance intersectionality theory by demonstrating constitutive rather than additive marginalization while extending community cultural wealth frameworks to recognize forms of capital generated through managing complex social positioning. This research positions marginalized women as catalysts for institutional transformation, rather than as passive recipients of support requiring accommodation. Implementation requires institutional commitment and resources, with recognition that political resistance may challenge reforms within contested environments.

6. Conclusions

This investigation reveals how Palestinian female students from East Jerusalem transform experiences of intersectional marginalization into critical competencies essential for professional success. Through systematic mobilization of community cultural wealth, these women develop strategies for navigating institutional barriers while maintaining cultural integrity, embodying Mahmoud Darwish’s vision of finding “what makes life worth living” even within challenging circumstances. The seven interconnected competencies—strategic choice-making, institutional navigation, academic resilience, cultural preservation, intercultural bridging, community orientation, and critical consciousness—illustrate how marginalized students can become agents of institutional transformation.

Our findings advance diversity science by demonstrating how intersectional marginalization creates distinctive forms of empowerment, providing insights for approaches that recognize and build upon the cultural assets students contribute to higher education. The research calls for reimagining educational equity, moving from deficit models toward approaches that amplify competencies emerging from navigating complex social realities with cultural integrity. This research reveals the profound human capacity for transforming educational challenges into leadership development opportunities while maintaining cultural connections.

7. Limitations and Future Research

This study has limitations that affect its interpretation and generalizability. Our sample focuses on students who successfully enrolled and persisted, potentially creating survivor bias by overlooking the experiences of those who withdrew due to systemic barriers. The research examines one specific context—Palestinian women from East Jerusalem in Israeli institutions—limiting transferability to other marginalized populations.

Future research should include cross-cultural comparative studies with other marginalized populations in contested environments to understand how intersectional marginalization leads to the development of distinctive empowerment strategies. Community-based research examining how graduates contribute to development would shed light on broader social implications. At the same time, studies on how institutions can recognize and build upon community cultural wealth would provide practical guidance for developing antiracist pedagogical approaches.