This research examines how members of the third generation of Palestinians living in the diaspora construct their personal identities, given the competing demands between a familial Palestinian upbringing and daily life within the societies of their birth countries. Drawing on Marianne Hirsch's concept of postmemory, it explores the relationship between inherited memories of life in Palestine before 1948, the Nakba, and life in exile, which are juxtaposed against the experiences of the individual during day-to-day life. People belonging to this generation utilize both types of memory to develop meaning and direct action, creating a hybridized understanding of Palestinian-ness that simultaneously mirrors and differentiates itself from those of previous generations. By utilizing the in-depth oral narratives of diasporic Palestinians, this research explores how inherited memory is preserved, mediated, and called upon as the individual searches for an 'authentic self' during their formative years. Consideration is given to narrative constructions of the past on both individual and collective levels, with each person constructing their own narrative, while simultaneously understanding their place in a collective timeline. On a micro level, this article seeks to expand upon current definitions of Palestinian-ness and trace its evolution in post-Nakba contexts. On a macro-level, it looks to expand upon theories of diasporic memory transmission and preservation; feelings of belonging within marginalized groups; and the effects of long-distance nationalism on identity construction.
