Résumé:
This dissertation examines the representation of the Palestinian land in contemporary Palestinian-
themed fiction, focusing on Susan Abulhawa's Mornings in Jenin (2010) and Radwa Ashour’s The
Woman from Tantoura (2010). In doing so, the research deconstructs the entrenched Zionist
ideology that claimed the Holy Land was empty and addresses the broader historical context of
Palestine. Through a close reading of the narratives, the research explores how the legacy of the
land is portrayed in both works. Drawing on the perspectives of postcolonial theory, postcolonial
ecocriticism, ecofeminism, and postcolonial feminism, the study investigates how the Palestinian
land functions both as a witness to colonial violence and as a symbol of ancestral existence before
and after Al-Nakba in 1948. Additionally, it considers how female agency emerges through
reciprocal relationships with place and memory. It also highlights women’s conditions during war,
particularly experiences of sexual violence. By situating these novels within broader ecological
and postcolonial feminist frameworks, the study sheds light on how the intersecting oppressions of
colonial powers, war, and patriarchy are resisted through storytelling. Moreover, the research
contributes to the growing recognition of contemporary women's fiction in shaping literary
discussions around war. Ultimately, this dissertation reveals how these works give voice to both
collective and personal loss by engaging with the land as a living archive of Palestinian history. It
also addresses how literature defends Palestine through aesthetic acts of resurrection and narrative
reclamation.
