Between the Hammer of Tradition and the Anvil of Occupation: Men and Masculinity in the Palestinian Occupied Territories

Abstract

The current study focuses on the notion of masculinity in Palestinian culture and the challenges Palestinian civilian men face while attempting to fulfill their traditional gender-based roles within the context of occupation. The core elements of Palestinian manhood and masculinity are established through an in-depth examination of a body of proverbs that are still in circulation in Palestinian society today. Drawing on recent discussions related to masculinity, this study is the first of its kind to illustrate how proverbs contribute to the sociocultural construction of ideas on manhood and promote patriarchal views and sexist ideologies, which are harmful to men, women, and the family as the core unit of the social fabric. Through exploring the current living situation of civilian men in the occupied Palestinian territories, we aim to highlight the fact that the entrapment between the anvil of rigid traditions and the hammer of the oppressive practices of a military occupation negatively affects the wellbeing of men and often leads to displaced aggression and violence.