In 2013, Tom Sperlinger taught English literature for five months at a university in the occupied West Bank. His excellent first book is a short memoir reflecting on encounters with young Palestinians in and out of the classroom.
When he assigns a composition exercise, Ruba (not her real name) describes how she had to watch Israeli soldiers abduct her father for use as a human shield in a raid. It’s an environment in which Sperlinger must probe his own assumptions about his purpose and practice if he’s to address everyday problems such as plagiarism and unread set texts. Comparing the experience with a stint with mature students in Merseyside, he wonders if British universities “reward particular kinds of obedience” at the expense of “those whose lives have been the most demanding”. Lucid and open-minded about its location – and about education generally – this book deserves a wide audience.
Romeo and Juliet in Palestine is published by Zero (£9.99). Click her to order a copy for £7.99
