This thesis emerges as an exploration of the multifaceted nature of music, identity, and the enduring spirit of a people living through profound challenges. Based on autoethnographic reflection, it provides an introspective exploration of how sound becomes a vessel for presence, a mirror for resilience, and a space for transformation. Through music, this inquiry seeks not merely to articulate personal narratives but to connect them with the common pulse of a collective memory—a memory that is influenced by the persistent realities of displacement and the yearning for freedom that Palestinians, no matter where they are in the world, experience. At the heart of this research lie three case studies that illuminate the potential of music: Sonic Exile, where traditional Arabic modalities and experimental soundscapes dissolve into a single, resonating voice; Echoes from Bethlehem, an improvisational encounter with Palestinian Nay master Faris Ishaq that brings forth a meditative state of being wholly present in sound and spirit; and the work of the Amwaj Choir, where human voice rises above cultural and physical confines, embodying a living, enduring presence. The findings suggest that music is not a static act but a living practice—an unfolding dialogue between tradition and innovation, self and other, silence and sound. Improvisation, as a way of being, becomes a method of both reflection and resistance, enabling a deeper connection to the present moment while engaging with the complexity of the past. The research reveals music’s profound capacity to heal, to resist, and to imagine new pathways for freedom and belonging. Rather than offering definitive conclusions, this thesis extends invitations: to listen, to witness, and to remain open to the spaces where sound and silence meet, where identity and memory evolve, and where the human spirit, despite all, continues to create and endure.

3. Research Design

This research situates Palestinian music as a dynamic force of cultural assertion, where sound becomes both a sanctuary and a battleground. Moving beyond conventional analysis, it looks into improvisation and cross-cultural collaboration as radical processes that push the boundaries of artistic identity and redefine selfhood. Reflexive autoethnography and collaborative music-making serve as the study’s methodological anchors, bridging the personal and collective to reveal music’s capacity to embody lived realities and amplify silenced narratives.

3.1 Methodology

The methodology of this research is rooted in the approaches of artistic research. In addition, I draw on aspects of autoethnography, duoethnography, and reflexivity to create an interwoven methodological framework. Together, these approaches integrate personal narrative, collaborative inquiry, and creative exploration to investigate the complexities of my Palestinian identity within the context of music-making and research.

The interplay between imagination and research invites a reevaluation of how knowledge is produced and conveyed, particularly in artistic and ethnographic contexts. By moving beyond the rigid conventions of documentation and description, artists and researchers engage with "imaginative speculation" as a critical method of discovery (Ravetz, 2009). This approach challenges traditional notions of objectivity, embracing subjectivity and personal experience as integral to the inquiry process. The imaginative techniques employed in art allow for a more thorough investigation of human experiences, which may otherwise be "muted by the hard science of collecting data" (Taussig, 2009). By situating personal concerns within expressive forms that transcend textual or descriptive limitations, these practices highlight the potential of artistic inquiry in understanding complex cultural and social phenomena. This imaginative lens not only broadens the scope of methodological possibilities but also enriches the narratives created in the space between art and ethnography.

Artistic Research

Artistic research forms the foundation of this inquiry in which the creative process itself becomes an investigative method. As Borgdorff (2006) explains, “research in the arts devotes attention to both the materiality of art to the extent that it makes the immaterial possible, and to the immateriality of art to the extent that it is embedded in the artistic material.” This approach demonstrates a natural kinship with established research traditions such as ethnography and action research, which inform practice-based inquiry (Borgdorff, 2012).

Artistic research differs from the research of art, as it involves an element of "finding" rather than "searching," where chance, complications, and uncertainties play pivotal roles in guiding discovery (Henke et al., 2020). Unlike systematized methodologies dependent on pre-legitimated models, artistic research thrives in zones of ambiguity, allowing for disruptions, fictions, and uncertainties to inform the process. These qualities contribute to its aesthetic singularity, enabling the researcher to engage with subtleties and render them manifest with clarity and precision (Henke et al., 2020).

This inquiry aligns with three overlapping approaches to artistic research in music: text-based positioning and validation, “pure” artistic research expressed through music itself, and reflective approaches that focus on the act of making music (Schippers, 2017, p. 165). This triadic framework allows the laboratory of the practice room or music studio to serve as the primary site of research, where experimentation and reflection converge to generate new understandings (Schippers, 2017, p. 167).

Within this framework, methods such as participant observation, field studies, autobiographical narratives, performance ethnography, and collaborative inquiry resonate deeply with the artistic processes explored in this research. Artistic research positions the creative process as both subject and method, offering a dynamic lens to investigate cultural and social phenomena. By engaging in artistic practice, this study examines how identity and resistance manifest through the act of making art. The artist’s practice becomes the "field" of investigation, positioning the creative process as both the subject and the method of inquiry. Similarly, action research, with its transformative and enhancement-oriented aims, aligns with the artist's pursuit of innovation and engagement, enriching the discourse around the intersection of art and research practices (Borgdorff, 2012).

Reflexivity as a Conceptual Framework

Reflexivity underpins this research as both a conceptual framework and a methodological tool. It acknowledges the dynamic interplay between the researcher, their artistic practice, and the research process. Every researcher has, to some degree, a connection to or involvement with the subject of their research (Davies, 2012), underscoring the intrinsic role of my Palestinian identity in shaping the trajectory of this inquiry. Reflexivity enables a critical awareness of how my lived experiences as a Palestinian musician inform the selection of case studies, collaborative processes, and analytical perspectives. This self-awareness transforms the research process into a dialogic space, where personal and socio-political contexts intersect to inform artistic expression.

Autoethnography: Situating the Personal within the Political

Autoethnography serves as a core methodology, allowing for the integration of personal experiences with broader cultural and political narratives. This approach situates my journey as a Palestinian artist within the larger discourse of cultural continuity. The scholarly work becomes an opportunity for self-reflection as well as the product of scholarly work; that is what reflexivity can entail (Davies, 2012). My travels, during this research, are documented through field notes and recordings, capturing improvisational sessions and collective practices. Here, music turns into a reservoir of cross-cueing memory and a medium for reimagining identity.

Methods such as participant observation, performance ethnography, autobiographical narratives, thick descriptions, reflection in action, and collaborative inquiry are among the techniques that resonate deeply with artistic processes. Ethnographic research, characterized by its critical and engaged approach, acknowledges the interconnectedness of researchers and their subjects in the field, providing a compelling model for certain types of artistic research.

Duoethnography: Collaborative Narratives

The methodology is further enriched by duoethnography, a collaborative approach that juxtaposes multiple life histories to generate new understandings of culture and identity. The duoethnography emphasizes the relational components of cultural identity and uses dialogue to support a critical self-study (Norris 2012). This method allows for a nuanced exploration of how my experiences as a Palestinian artist in the diaspora connect with those of my collaborators, each of whom contributes their unique cultural perspectives to the creative process.

Duoethnographic practice in this research involves engaging in conversations and improvisational sessions with collaborators, artists I encountered during my travels, and local artists in Palestine. The dialogic nature of duoethnography creates a polyvocal setting where differences are celebrated and transformative insights develop. This approach stimulates "regenerative transformation," in which the act of sharing stories and artistic practices opens up new avenues for understanding identity and belonging (Sawyer, 2015).

Integrating Methodologies to Explore Identity

This approach presents the theoretical tool for investigating how music and identities interrelate with complex social and political realities, a synthesis of reflexivity, autoethnography, duoethnography, and artistic research. Reflexivity provides the crucial awareness of the researcher’s positionality, while autoethnography situates one's story within broader cultural and political contexts, whereas duoethnography adds a collaborative dimension and gives voice to mutual understanding through conversations in the relation of identity. Improvisation, in this sense, highlights the transformative power of sound as a medium for healing and resistance. Therefore, such methodology not only answers the central research questions but also meets the wider intents that develop presence and probe into the nature of Palestinian identity within the context of art-making.

This, in a way, echoes the fluidity and adaptability of Palestinian identity. Improvisation becomes at once a meditative practice and a creative process that allows dynamic investigation into the freedoms and constraints of socio-political life. The improvisational sessions are documented by recordings and reflective notes during live performances, workshops, or informal collaborations. These sessions are analyzed as sites of artistic experimentation and collective engagement. As Carless (2021) observes, music creates “space in ways that others might also be encouraged to contribute,” inviting a participatory and inclusive approach to identity construction. Through improvisation, this research explores how sound functions as a medium to articulate the complexities of Palestinian identity, from the personal to the collective, and to open up possibilities for intercultural dialogue.

3. 2 Data Generation

The primary case studies which are described in the ensuing sections provide the fundamental information and content of my research. The primary data collected includes recordings, videos, discussions, semi-structured interviews, and journal entries and I draw on mutually beneficial methods to generate the data/content, including:

Intercultural musical collaborations
Improvisation
Verbal dialogue
Musical dialogue
Field trips
Personal reflective journal

3. 3 Data Analysis

I used coding and thematic analysis two common techniques in qualitative research to examine the data (Neuendorf 2018). The thematic analysis allowed me to emphasize the core themes that came from the data, while coding helped me to identify particular words phrases, and concepts that recurred throughout the discussions and improvisational sessions.

This approach allowed me to organize and make sense of the multi-layered information generated by both projects. The data gathering of the interviews was very precise and planned steps. The interviews were semi-structured talks that involved the interviewees' reflections perspectives and ideas about the subject. Interviews were conducted either in-person or via Zoom, recorded, and then transcribed.

Upon revisiting the recorded interviews and bridging research questions and my reflection, there was a process of filtering the interviews. Through this process, the music itself evolved as a result of the sessions, sculpted by the reoccurring themes and collaborative spirit that came up during those interactions.

3. 4 Research Ethics

Ethical standards ensured that the process did not compromise the integrity of the process or the wellbeing of all participants. Interviewees provided verbal consent for their views to be used in this thesis and the performance booklet that accompanies it. The time provided by contributors was done so on a voluntary basis with an agreement to have their artistic contributions acknowledged. Consent forms are held by the researcher with examples included in the appendices. All contributors for this project were voluntary participants and completed signed consent forms before collecting any data. Participants were also granted consent for acknowledgment of their artistic contributions within the thesis and related materials.

The entire research process followed the "Finnish Code of Conduct for Research Integrity" and "Procedures for Handling Alleged Violations of Research Integrity in Finland," along with the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity. As a matter of fact, this instruction guided the current study to follow "basic principles of research integrity," "research procedures," "safeguards," "data practices and management," "collaborative working," and "publication" (TENK, 2023). All data was securely stored, both physically and digitally in PDF format on dedicated NAS storage to ensure confidentiality and safety.

A commitment to ethical practice was central to every aspect of this study. Issues of anonymity and confidentiality were carefully considered and implemented as appropriate. The researcher encouraged a respectful atmosphere, valuing differences in perspectives and opinions, thereby creating an environment conducive to open discussion and meaningful contributions. These approaches maintained the integrity of the researcher-participant relationship and increased the overall validity of the study.

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