Identity conflict and entrepreneurial intention in a marginalized community: evidence from Arab-Palestinian students in Israel

Purpose This study aims to explore how identity conflict (IC) influences entrepreneurial intention (EI) among Arab-Palestinian students in Israeli universities, a marginalized minority navigating complex national and cultural affiliations. Situating this inquiry within the framework of enterprising communities, it examines how entrepreneurship emerges as a response to social and structural inequalities. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative, cross-sectional design used an online questionnaire (n = 110). Validated instruments measured IC, EI and moderators, including family background and income. Correlation, hierarchical regression and moderation analyses were conducted, with robustness checks based on bootstrapped confidence intervals. Findings Results reveal a significant positive relationship between the two focal constructs, which remains robust after controlling for attitudinal and social predictors, suggesting that such conflict can act as a motivational force driving agency, autonomy and self-determination. Overall, the results suggest that IC operates as a distinct motivational mechanism shaping EI in this context. Originality/value This study reframes IC from a psychological liability into a motivational asset within marginalized, place-based communities. It contributes to the enterprising communities’ literature by integrating social identity, acculturation and institutional perspectives to explain entrepreneurship in culturally divided contexts.