Peace & Justice Studies Association
International Peace Research Association Affiliation
2020 Conference

2020 Award Winners

Each year a committee of PJSA Board Members and volunteers reviews undergraduate scholarship as well as dissertations/theses which contribute to our field. The winners receive complementary conference attendance, honorary membership in the association for two years, and recognition at our Awards Ceremony.
You can learn about the award winners and read the undergraduate papers and graduate abstract below:
This year, a split decision amongst the awards committee led to a dual winner in the undergraduate category

Best Dissertation Award Winner

Carol Daniel Kasbari, Ph.D.

George Mason University

“Palestinian Everyday Resistance: A Study of the Tactics of Sumud and their Effects on Israeli Power in the Occupied Territories”

This study examines the extent to which the everyday practices of Palestinians and, particularly their daily acts of resistance (Sumud) can have an effect on the modes of control imposed on them by the Israeli occupation in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. To that end, two primary research questions guide this study: What are the Sumud everyday resistance practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT)? And in what ways do these practices subvert or alter the impact of Israeli power techniques and modes of control in the OPT?

To answer these questions, I employ theories of everyday resistance, which provide an innovative perspective to understand grassroots political behavior. In the OPT, this takes the form of Sumud. This study is, therefore, situated at the intersection of peace and resistance studies and builds on the theory of everyday resistance developed by James Scott, while also noting its limitations. This study reframes our understanding of everyday resistance using empirical data collected on Sumud and draws on the works of scholars who highlight the role of intentions, outcomes, actors, and observers. It concludes with an analysis of the impact of Sumud practices on power-based relationships between Israel and Palestinians. By developing these concepts, this project attempts to contribute to understandings of a just peace viewed from the perspective of local people.

For more information on Dr. Kasbari’s work, see: https://www.mei.edu/profile/carol-daniel-kasbari