Save the Nation : The construction of martyrs and martyrdom. A discourse analysis of interviews with Palestinian students from the West Bank.

Abstract: This bachelor’s thesis studies the construction of martyrs and martyrdom in Palestine. The study uses a discourse analysis to analyse data gathered from focus group interviews with Palestinian university students in the West Bank. Observations in the West Bank are also used to an enhanced understanding of the production. The theoretical framework of the thesis is based upon thoughts about nations and nationalism. The theoretical framework is connected to the Palestinian nation and nationalism to comprehend how martyrs and martyrdom are constructed in Palestine. The analysis is divided into five chapters: The first chapter discusses the importance of martyrs and martyrdom in Palestine. In the second chapter, tributes to martyrs are discussed. The meaning of martyrs and martyrdom are analysed in an abstract way in the third chapter, which focuses on martyrs’ ideology and ethical considerations. The fourth chapter analyses the construction of martyrs and martyrdom trough concrete Palestinian examples. The last chapter discusses martyrs and martyrdom in a non-Palestinian Arabic/Islamic context, the chapter analyses nonterritorial communities. Conclusions that are drawn, are that martyrs and martyrdom have no meaning, instead the phenomena are constructed in different ways depending on what discourse it is that produces martyrs and martyrdom. Three main discourses are found. The first and strongest is the Palestinian nationalism. The other are Islam and Arab, that influence and are influenced by the Palestinian nationalism. Furthermore, martyrs and martyrdom are constructed as morally/ethically good and innocent, the phenomena also produced good and innocence to the Palestinian nation.