不良研究所

You wouldn鈥檛 know it by looking at me today, but I didn鈥檛 always feel like I had a place in academia. Less than two years ago, I was enrolled at UBC in a program within the sciences, and was almost ready to drop out. However, with my family鈥檚 encouragement, I transferred to U不良研究所鈥檚 Communications and Media Studies program, and everything changed. My professors challenged me to push myself and introduced me to other professors with expertise in my areas of interest. By opening myself up to new opportunities, I eventually gained the courage to propose an? undergraduate research project.

This summer, I examined how digital media affects the Palestinian diaspora鈥檚 perceptions of the genocide and their cultural identity. As a member of the Palestinian diaspora community myself, I have never had the opportunity to travel to Palestine. The only knowledge I have of my ancestral homeland comes from my grandfather and the stories he has shared with me. When I was interviewing community members, I heard stories that mirrored my grandfather's experiences, and it made everything about the genocide feel real in a way it hadn't before. After each interview, I needed time to process the weight of what I'd heard.

My research also came with unexpected challenges. Some people questioned the validity of my study, calling it controversial. Interview participants also worried about being identifiable in the data; this worry was sparked by the fear of being labelled anti-Semitic These experiences taught me that research is fundamentally about learning, particularly, learning about diverse perspectives. I know whatever I do next, this conviction will shape what I do in ways I could not have imagined a few years ago.