Fieldwork and Academic Research in the West Bank: Palestine is a popular place for researchers, students, and professors to conduct fieldwork, due in part to the current political situation. Whether you wish to research the conflict’s impact on children, unemployment, water scarcity, or women’s’ rights, the Engage in Palestine can assist you with your work. 

The Center accommodates international researchers who need assistance conducting research for bachelors, masters, or doctoral programs that require fieldwork. Experience on the ground is a valuable asset to research, and one that will make you more desirable and better prepared for a competitive job market. 

If this is your first experience conducting empirical research, the Center is prepared to assist you in the practical application of your specialty. 

This article will cover the following topics: 

Fieldwork at the Center 

Naturally all research projects have a unique, specialized focus.Engage in Palestine encourages students from any and all disciplines to conduct their fieldwork here in Hebron or elsewhere in Palestine. Researchers will find the Center welcoming and ideal for embarking on their work, coordinating with other researchers, and meeting Palestinians to help explore and develop ideas. 

Translation 

We at the Engage in Palestine are fully aware that researchers may not have the linguistic ability to communicate with the local community while conducting their fieldwork. Our team is more than happy to assist you in this endeavour, whether it be interpretation during interviews with Palestinians or translation of documents and transcripts. 

Networking

Our staff are also able to assist researchers in identifying interview participants, connecting with local Palestinian organizations, and gathering data, among others. This program is great for those intending to: 

• Conduct fieldwork in the West Bank
• Write from experience about the situation in Palestine
• Formulate bachelors, masters, or doctoral thesis topics on the
  Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Research Contract

If a prospective participant would like to receive assistance on their proposal through the Center, we ask you to inform us of your research objectives and methodology and sign the necessary agreement. 

The contract is meant to ensure that researchers abide by all ethical considerations–for example, the AAA ethics guidelines for those studying anthropology–including those issued by the participant’s home university. 

Center staff are happy to provide you with a letter to support your application to your university’s ethics committee. Additionally, all participants during fieldwork shall be anonymous, and the participant will supply the Center with their findings at the conclusion of the program. 

Work at the Center 

As a participant with the Engage in Palestine, we expect you to dedicate a small amount of your time volunteering for other programs. However, this will in no way be an impediment to your main research objectives, and instead may beneficial to your research. By working with the Center, you will join a network of Palestinians and international researchers who can help support your fieldwork and research. 

Time Off

Participants will have two days off per week, and receive four day of vacation each month. During this time, you can visit various historical and cultural sites throughout the region. There are also numerous universities in the West Bank you can visit to access their libraries and databases.

Hebron, Your Research Home base

During your research project, you will stay in Hebron and the Center will be your headquarters. Hebron is a microcosm of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as all of the key practices of occupation are evident here, making this city ideal and thought-provoking for those conducting research on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

With its strong ties to the local community in and around Hebron, the Engage in Palestine will provide you with a broad network to help you with your fieldwork.  

Program Benefits

This program will provide you with the opportunity to gain insights into one of the most politically divisive regions in the world. Participants in the Fieldwork and Academic Research Program in Palestine will be provided with:

• Accommodations with a Palestinian host family, or in a shared dorm or apartment
  • Palestinian hospitality
• Complimentary breakfast provided by the Center 6 times per week (Sat-Thur)
• 12 hours of conversational Palestinian Arabic lessons for each month of participation
  • Participants may choose between Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Colloquial Arabic–Levantine and/or Palestinian, specifically
  • Qualified Arabic instructors with a specialized educational background
• Center-led visits to various sites in Hebron, such as the Old City, religious sites, refugee camps, various factories, and industrial hubs
  • Opportunities to visit other cities, such as Bethlehem, Ramallah, Nablus, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, Jenin, and Nazareth
• Engagement in educational and social activities
• Firsthand experience of life under occupation
  • A better understanding of human rights issues through day trips to refugee camps and Israeli settlements
• Certification upon completion

Trepidations?

We understand that people may have reservations about traveling to the West Bank given the political state, but the Engage in Palestine is here to support you. Palestinians are very friendly, helpful, and hospitable; they’re often very eager to meet foreigners to welcome them and make a connection. 

Throughout the year, the Center hosts international visitors who come here to study, volunteer, intern, or visit. During your program, you will meet other international researchers, Palestinian students, young professionals, and community members, all of whom either provide or help you access our services. You will have plenty of opportunities to engage with them in various Center-led educational and community activities, such as sports exercises, after-school English clubs, and visits to local historical and cultural sites. 

The Engage in Palestine is very cohesive, and we treat our Palestinian students and international visitors like family. With the bustling social atmosphere of Hebron and the variety of people at the Center, you will surely never feel lonely. 

Getting Started 

Palestine is a fruitful place for researchers of all disciplines to conduct their work, and the Engage in Palestine is especially happy to assist you in your endeavors while here in Palestine. 

During your time here, we can help you to identify interview participants, introduce you to local organizations, translate Arabic transcripts needed for research, and more. To get started, inform of us of you project ideas and research objectives; after contract details have been drafted and agreed upon, you will be ready to begin your adventure!

Program Eligibility

Anyone between the ages of 18 and 75 years is eligible for the Fieldwork and Academic Research Program. Previously acquired degrees are not necessary for this program, and all fields of study are welcome.

VISA Process

The Palestinian Authority oversees internal Palestinian affairs within the West Bank and the Gaza Strip; however, they have no power to control or regulate travel into the Territories or out through bordering countries, and cannot issue tourist VISAs to anyone who wants to enter Palestine. Participants must receive their VISA from the Israeli authorities to be granted entry upon arrival. You can also apply for a VISA beforehand or through an Israeli embassy or consulate. 

VISAs upon arrival are rarely denied to those travelling via the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv; however, if you are accessing Israel by way of land crossings you may experience longer wait times. After clearing customs, most citizens of the US or European countries are issued tourist VISAs, which are valid for 90 days.

Traveling to Hebron, Palestine 

Reaching the Center in Hebron, Palestine will be a long journey. Although there are some obstacles when traveling to Hebron, theEngage in Palestine has all the resources you need to reach us in an efficient, safe, and practical manner. 

Please read our articles below on planning your trip, flying to Palestine, the different routes to Hebron, and Israeli and Palestinian taxi services: 

• How to fly to Palestine
• How to get to Hebron, Palestine
• Planning your trip to Palestine
• How to get from the Ben Gurion Airport (Israel) to Hebron

If you have any further inquiries about travel to Palestine, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team. Our contact information can be found at the bottom of this page. 

Questions?

If you have questions regarding the Fieldwork and Academic Research Program in the West Bank, Palestine, or if you would like to receive an application form, please write to us at Info@ecpalestine.org with “Fieldwork and Academic Research Program” in the subject. 

Related Volunteer Programs

How To Get Further Information 

For more information, please visit our website: https://excellencenter.org/

Engage in Palestine: https://ecpalestine.org/

Volunteer in Palestine: https://volunteerinpalestine.org/

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