Research Article

The Rise and fall of Palestinian student diplomacy: Its role in mobilising global support for the Palestinian cause – An analysis within the framework of the theory of complex interdependence

Number: 17 June 30, 2026
TR EN

The Rise and fall of Palestinian student diplomacy: Its role in mobilising global support for the Palestinian cause – An analysis within the framework of the theory of complex interdependence

Abstract

This study examines the transformations in Palestinian student diplomacy, as embodied by the General Union of Palestinian Students (GUPS), before and after the signing of the Oslo Accords, and the impact of these transformations on the role of student diplomacy in mobilizing international public opinion on the Palestinian cause. Based on complex interdependence theory, the study argues that Palestinian students, through their international networks, constituted effective non-governmental channels for influencing local public opinion in host countries during the pre-Oslo period and under the auspices of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Using qualitative analysis of documents and interviews with elites, the study demonstrates that these transnational networks influenced international actors, consistent with the theory assumption of multi-channel and multi-level communication. After the signing of the Oslo Accords and the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, the role and activities of these networks declined. The study concludes that the decline in student diplomacy was not merely an organizational change, but rather a political one. This study offers a theoretical contribution by employing complex interdependence theory to explain the role of Palestinian student diplomacy through the activities of the GUPS, as a non-state actor in mobilizing international support for the Palestinian cause.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

Yazar, bu çalışma kapsamında herhangi bir çıkar çatışması bulunmadığını beyan eder.

Thanks

Prof. Dr. Akif Bahadır Kaynak for his guidance in the preparation of this study.

References

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  4. Freiherr von Martens, K., Wegmann, F. d. (1851). Le guide diplomatique. France: Gavelot jeune.
  5. Gregory, B. (2024). American diplomacy’s public dimension: Practitioners as change agents in foreign relations. Springer Nature.
  6. Hancock, D. R., Algozzine, B., & Lim, J. H. (2021). Doing case study research: A practical guide for beginning researchers. Teachers College Press.
  7. Hoffmann, S. (1987). Janus and Minerva: Essays in the theory and practice of international politics. Westview Press.
  8. Irfan, A. (2023). Why Palestinians are known as the world’s “Best Educated Refugees.” Columbia University Press Blog. https://cupblog.org/2023/08/23/why-palestinians-are-known-as-the-worlds-best-educated-refugeesanne-irfan

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

International Relations (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

June 30, 2026

Submission Date

May 5, 2026

Acceptance Date

June 22, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 17

APA
Altaweel, R. A. Y. (2026). The Rise and fall of Palestinian student diplomacy: Its role in mobilising global support for the Palestinian cause – An analysis within the framework of the theory of complex interdependence. NOSYON: Uluslararası Toplum Ve Kültür Çalışmaları Dergisi, 17, 183-197. https://izlik.org/JA97KY48ML
AMA
1.Altaweel RAY. The Rise and fall of Palestinian student diplomacy: Its role in mobilising global support for the Palestinian cause – An analysis within the framework of the theory of complex interdependence. NOSYON: Uluslararası Toplum ve Kültür Çalışmaları Dergisi. 2026;(17):183-197. https://izlik.org/JA97KY48ML
Chicago
Altaweel, Ramzi A. Y. 2026. “The Rise and Fall of Palestinian Student Diplomacy: Its Role in Mobilising Global Support for the Palestinian Cause – An Analysis Within the Framework of the Theory of Complex Interdependence”. NOSYON: Uluslararası Toplum Ve Kültür Çalışmaları Dergisi, nos. 17: 183-97. https://izlik.org/JA97KY48ML.
EndNote
Altaweel RAY (June 1, 2026) The Rise and fall of Palestinian student diplomacy: Its role in mobilising global support for the Palestinian cause – An analysis within the framework of the theory of complex interdependence. NOSYON: Uluslararası Toplum ve Kültür Çalışmaları Dergisi 17 183–197.
IEEE
[1]R. A. Y. Altaweel, “The Rise and fall of Palestinian student diplomacy: Its role in mobilising global support for the Palestinian cause – An analysis within the framework of the theory of complex interdependence”, NOSYON: Uluslararası Toplum ve Kültür Çalışmaları Dergisi, no. 17, pp. 183–197, June 2026, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA97KY48ML
ISNAD
Altaweel, Ramzi A. Y. “The Rise and Fall of Palestinian Student Diplomacy: Its Role in Mobilising Global Support for the Palestinian Cause – An Analysis Within the Framework of the Theory of Complex Interdependence”. NOSYON: Uluslararası Toplum ve Kültür Çalışmaları Dergisi. 17 (June 1, 2026): 183-197. https://izlik.org/JA97KY48ML.
JAMA
1.Altaweel RAY. The Rise and fall of Palestinian student diplomacy: Its role in mobilising global support for the Palestinian cause – An analysis within the framework of the theory of complex interdependence. NOSYON: Uluslararası Toplum ve Kültür Çalışmaları Dergisi. 2026;:183–197.
MLA
Altaweel, Ramzi A. Y. “The Rise and Fall of Palestinian Student Diplomacy: Its Role in Mobilising Global Support for the Palestinian Cause – An Analysis Within the Framework of the Theory of Complex Interdependence”. NOSYON: Uluslararası Toplum Ve Kültür Çalışmaları Dergisi, no. 17, June 2026, pp. 183-97, https://izlik.org/JA97KY48ML.
Vancouver
1.Ramzi A. Y. Altaweel. The Rise and fall of Palestinian student diplomacy: Its role in mobilising global support for the Palestinian cause – An analysis within the framework of the theory of complex interdependence. NOSYON: Uluslararası Toplum ve Kültür Çalışmaları Dergisi [Internet]. 2026 Jun. 1;(17):183-97. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA97KY48ML