The role of Christian Arab intellectuals in the Nahda movement in Palestine and Jordan (1831–1948)

This study investigates the trajectory of the Nahda movement—emerging in the early 19th century within the Arab world—in the peripheral regions of Palestine and Jordan, focusing specifically on the role played by Christian Arab intellectuals. Contrary to the conventional view that situates Nahda exclusively within the central hubs of Cairo, Beirut, and Damascus, this research highlights how the movement evolved through local dynamics and acquired distinct regional expressions. The primary question addressed is not merely whether Christian Arab intellectuals participated in Nahda, but to what extent they acted as transformative agents within this process. To that end, the study explores the multifaceted contributions of these intellectuals in the domains of education, print culture, and literary production across three historical phases: the late Ottoman period, the British Mandate era, and the post-Nakba period (1831–1948). Employing a historical methodology, the research draws extensively on periodicals of the time as well as both primary and secondary sources. The findings demonstrate that Christian Arab intellectuals played a decisive role in pedagogical transmission, cultural identity construction, intellectual discourse, and literary innovation. These contributions reveal that Nahda should not merely be understood as an intellectual awakening, but as a multidimensional modernization project with socio-political implications. Ultimately, the study positions Christian Arab intellectuals as foundational agents who expanded, sustained, and localized the Nahda movement within the specific contexts of Palestine and Jordan.