How Do We Educate for Peace? Study of narratives of Jewish and Palestinian peace activists

Authors

Zvi Bekerman, Hebrew University of JerusalemFollow
Ifat Maoz, Hebrew University of JerusalemFollow
Mara Getz Sheftel, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Abstract

The present analysis focuses on the personal narratives of peace activists, the facilitators of reconciliation-aimed dialogues between two ethno-national groups in a situation of asymmetrical conflict: Jews and Palestinians. It puts forward the idea that these peace activists bring a wealth of knowledge from their personal and professional narratives to bear on their strategies and practices of social transformation. We posit that foregrounding this knowledge through the analysis of these narratives not only affords a better understanding of their theoretical perspectives, their practices, aims and goals of social change but also can greatly contribute to our better understanding of peace education processes in general and in particular to a consideration of the ways peace activists experience and creatively deal with the dilemmas and challenges they confront in their transformational work.

Author Bio(s)

Zvi Bekerman, lectures in the School of Education, and is a researcher at the Truman Institute for Advancement of Peace, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He can be contacted at mszviman@mscc.huji.ac.il.

Ifat Maoz, is a social psychologist, a senior lecturer in the Communication department, and a researcher at the Truman Institute for Advancement of Peace, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Mara Getz Sheftel is the Communications and Development Associate at the Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel (ICCI). She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the Hebrew University and holds a B.A. in International Relations from Northwestern University.

Keywords

Jews and Palestinians, personal narratives of peace activists, social transformation

Publication Date

11-2006

DOI

10.46743/1082-7307/2006.1072

Recommended Citation

Bekerman, Zvi; Maoz, Ifat; and Sheftel, Mara Getz (2006) "How Do We Educate for Peace? Study of narratives of Jewish and Palestinian peace activists," Peace and Conflict Studies: Vol. 13: No. 2, Article 2.
DOI: 10.46743/1082-7307/2006.1072
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/pcs/vol13/iss2/2