Romeo and Juliet in Palestine: Teaching Under Occupation

by Tom Sperlinger

For five months at the start of 2013, Tom Sperlinger taught English literature at the Abu Dis campus of Al-Quds University in the Occupied West Bank. In this account of the semester, Sperlinger explores his students' encounters with works from 'Hamlet' and 'The Yellow Wallpaper' to Kafka and Malcolm X. By placing stories from the classroom alongside anecdotes about life in the West Bank, Sperlinger shows how his own ideas about literature and teaching changed during his time in Palestine, and asks what such encounters might reveal about the nature of pedagogy and the role of a university under occupation.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Education, Shakespeare

157 pages, Paperback

First published June 26, 2015

About the author

My first book, Romeo and Juliet in Palestine, is about a semester I spent teaching at Al-Quds University - which has campuses in Jerusalem and in the West Bank - in 2013. It is about students and teachers who face ordinary dilemmas – taking an exam, falling in love, skipping class - in extraordinary circumstances. I've recently published a new book, Who are universities for?, with 2 colleagues. It imagines a radical and optimistic future for universities.

I've been teaching at the University of Bristol since 2004, mostly in adult education. I've written for The Guardian, The Independent and the Times Higher and I've also recently co-edited Doris Lessing and the Forming of History.

Reviews

[Martin Hare Michno · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting book simply due to its content, as it shows a very unique perspective on teaching, on Palestine, on Shakespeare, and on literature generally. There's no doubt Sperlinger had no choice but to publish this book after his experiences. But then there's the question: how do you go about writing a book like this? Its almost as if Sperlinger doesn't write it, and has just sort of cobbled together loosely connected stories and anecdotes, with no real overarching theme or narrative voice until the very end. It reads like a blog, or a messy diary. I feel this is the case with a lot of Zer0 Books editions, just poorly edited. But then again, Sperlinger might simply be trying to not impose himself too much on a story which, clearly, does not belong only to him.

[Allia · Rating 3 out of 5]

An open and honest account of the the author’s experience of teaching in the occupied territories. I found it interesting how he used literature (mainly Shakespeare) to draw similarities in what he thought his students were going through in their daily lives. In my experience, when teachers make topics relatable they’re always easier to learn and remember!

I wish it was more detailed and more depth was shared about his feelings. It would also have been interesting to understand more about how he felt afterwards and what changes, if any, it made to his life, relationships, and teaching style after returning to tech in the U.K..

[Mimi Thebo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written account of a Western English Professor teaching at an underfunded university in the West Bank. It's an enlightening view of the long-standing conflict (not least because the author has family and friends in Israel), but it's more than a travel story. The characters of the students are well detailed and their determination to learn is heartbreaking. Sperlinger's love for his subject of English Literature shines through, as well, so in the end, the book is a justification for what art is and why we need it.

Wry, honest and open, it's an excellent read and would be especially appreciated by anyone who has ever taught.

[إيمان الشريف]

لا أريد أن أظلم هذا الكتاب لكنه ترجمة متواضعة جداً من طلاب فلسطينيين يدرسون اللغة والأدب الإنجليزي، وعليه فقد جاء حافلاً بالجمل غير المفهومة، والفقرات التي يصعب ربطها بما يليها.
توم سبيرلينجر هو مُحاضر بريطاني من أصل يهودي، قرر قضاء فصل دراسي في جامعة القدس. طبعاَ ماتفاجأ منه المؤلف كان متوقعاً للقارئ العربي، وهو أن تسعين بالمئة من الطلاب غير راغبين في دراسة تخصص الأدب الإنجليزي أصلاً، ناهيك عن عدم اعتيادهم على أسلوب النقاش وإبداء الرأي.

[Thomas Brassington · Rating 2 out of 5]

God this was dull

[Sonia Langarica · Rating 5 out of 5]

not sure why ppl have this as a 3.5 rating…
i really enjoyed this book and the complexities of all the stories intertwined in one

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for uni

[Pedro Proença · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a extremely personal book about one man's experiences as a teacher in a West Bank university.

Sperlinger focus a lot on his students, highlighting the difference between them and Western ones. But also their similarities. The political situation of the region serves mostly as a backdrop, appearing as justifications from the students as why they couldn't deliver an assignment on time, or when they (students and teacher) travel from different places in the region.

Tom is enticed by the West Bank, and seriously considers staying there for good, a sentiment not shared by one of his students, who says he wouldn't feel that way if he was born there.

This book offers some insight in today's Palestinian youth, and the relation between them and the situation in Palestine in general. Great read if you're interested in a more personal, up close look at Palestine and its youth.

[Marcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm writing a longer review for Electronic Intifada so I won't say much here. It's an interesting read for teachers, especially those interested in Palestine. I'm not quite sure it would work the other way around. I also feel like it's too much of a snapshot--there is not enough depth and he clearly--by his own admission--doesn't have a clear enough sense of the institution he's teaching at let alone the historical context in Palestine.

[F.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating insight into the current situation of the Palestinians. I loved the concept, the honesty and the interweaving of personal lives with the teaching of literature. At times brutal, at others humorous, always intriguing. Yes. I loved it!