Bernard’s writing is clear and readable, exploring a range of ideas which are significant not just for scholars of literature and nationalism, but for those with a more general interest in Palestine.
The Electronic Intifada
Anna Bernard’s Rhetorics of Belonging joins the small but impressive ranks of the series “Postcolonialism Across the Disciplines” as a genuinely comparative addition ... Read moreto literary and Middle Eastern studies. It enhances a belated focus on Palestinian literature in postcolonial studies ...
Journal of Postcolonial Writing
A fascinating, original, sophisticated yet highly readable study of Israeli and Palestinian literature. Yair Wallach Provides rigorous insights into often overlooked experiences of nation and narration. [...] Bernard demonstrates rigour in her analysis of the chosen texts, making the book a compelling articulation of the complexities that continue to define and aid in rethinking the concept of nationhood. Ramona Wadi, Middle East Monitor
Middle East Monitor
Clearly, Rhetorics of Belonging marks an important intervention in postcolonial studies. Its ambitious scope and the fact that it is one of the first accounts of Israel/Palestine in the field means that for others interested in the region, it will no doubt pose as many questions as it provides answers – whether questions concerned with generic differences, literature outside of Bernard’s timeframe, or the applicability of her ideas to other forms of cultural production from the region. One hopes that in time, these questions – and many others – will be answered. Sophia Brown, The University of Kent, Postcolonial Studies Association Show Less