Year: 2026

Author- Alaa Hussein Ahmed Fayyaleh

Supervisor: Amira Silmi

Discussion Committee: Khaldun Bshara & Rami Salameh

Abstract:

This study examines urban expansion and encroachment on rural land, focusing on Surda and Abu Qash as illustrative cases of rapid urban transformation in the periphery of Ramallah and Al-Bireh. The region has experienced significant urban growth, which has contributed to the ongoing decline of the agricultural sector; historically the main economic resource of these towns, and to the conversion of land into residential and commercial projects, thereby reshaping the social and economic fabric of the local community.

The study aims to identify the key forces driving urban transformation, to characterize the nature of these changes—whether urban or semi-urban—and to explore their impacts on the local economy, social relations, and gender dynamics, including the gender division of labor, household roles, and women’s mobility.

A qualitative methodology was employed, primarily using in-depth interviews to capture personal experiences and lived realities. The sample included women from both towns, ranging from young to older ages, providing a multi-generational perspective on urban and social transformations.

Findings indicate that the urban transformations are driven by a combination of multiple interacting factors, including colonial - neoliberal policies, local capitalist dynamics, and diaspora investments, which have shifted land from productive use to market-oriented purposes. The towns have thus become characterized by a hybrid rural-urban nature, with agricultural practices declining and local economies shifting toward wage labor and real estate investment.

Socially and in terms of gender, urban expansion has disrupted traditional community ties and reduced forms of collective solidarity. At the same time, new economic opportunities have emerged for some women, although their domestic and unpaid care responsibilities persist. These transformations also reproduce new forms of gendered domination, varying according to women’s social and educational backgrounds.

This study provides an analytical framework for understanding the impacts of rapid urbanization on rural, social, and gender structures. It also offers insights for developing more balanced urban policies that preserve agricultural resources, enhance community participation, and reduce social and gender exclusion.

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