Power, Process, and Evidence in Statements about Palestine

Equity and justice-centered professional organizations, such as the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), often make statements about global and local political matters. Yet many of these organizations have neglected to speak out about Palestinian dispossession and claims for liberation. These silences dehumanize Palestinians and contribute to conditions that allow for genocide to occur. This article presents critical analysis of four statements related to Palestine issued by groups within NCTE to identify where power is evident in each text and how context and social structures shape texts. Analyses suggest NCTE groups presented conflicting social representations, claims to authority, and evidence. Implications to help professional organizations like NCTE move beyond rhetoric toward justice-centered praxis include: 1) limiting executive power through democratic processes; 2) building grassroots power through member organizing; and 3) grounding statements in an extensive evidentiary base.