Cultivating a shared society among Jews and Arabs in Israel: An integrative conflict-engagement approach for transforming social fragmentation
Start Date
10-2-2021 11:45 AM
End Date
10-2-2021 12:15 PM
Proposal Type
Presentation
Proposal Description
Over the past decade, Givat Haviva, a prominent peacebuilding NGO in Israel, developed and implemented a holistic approach for the construction of a shared society among Jewish and Arab communities in one of the most complex regions in Israel – Wadi A'ra. The program, a 4-year intervention on the municipal, communal and educational levels, was developed and implemented to promote partnership and equality at a time of dissatisfaction with older models of Coexistence. It aimed at tackling the challenges of polarization and social exclusion, aiming at building and sustaining a Shared Society in Israel instead. Givat Haviva has facilitated five partnerships between pairs of communities.
The author of this proposed paper presentation helped develop the theoretical framework and strategies for implementation, also serving as a facilitator of one of the partnerships. This presentation will describe the theoretical underpinnings and lessons learned from the implementation process. On a theoretical level, it will present the integrative elements of the program, offering an approach that synthesizes Contact Theory with Superordinate Goals Theory, offering a model that integrates Interest-based and Relational approaches to mediation and conflict engagement. It will also present the partnership between the Megiddo (Jewish) Regional Council and the Ma'ale-Iron (Arab) Local Council as a case study, a qualitative research based on the ongoing evaluation and results of the intervention program as documented throughout the process. It will present the challenges, dilemmas and questions that can serve future research and practice that aims at cultivating a shared society and overcoming social fragmentation. It will offer a reflection on the possibilities of arriving at sustainable outcomes in times of increasing divisiveness as reflected in the Nationality Bill that was passed in Israel in 2018. It will also draw connections to the current crisis in the US.
Cultivating a shared society among Jews and Arabs in Israel: An integrative conflict-engagement approach for transforming social fragmentation
Over the past decade, Givat Haviva, a prominent peacebuilding NGO in Israel, developed and implemented a holistic approach for the construction of a shared society among Jewish and Arab communities in one of the most complex regions in Israel – Wadi A'ra. The program, a 4-year intervention on the municipal, communal and educational levels, was developed and implemented to promote partnership and equality at a time of dissatisfaction with older models of Coexistence. It aimed at tackling the challenges of polarization and social exclusion, aiming at building and sustaining a Shared Society in Israel instead. Givat Haviva has facilitated five partnerships between pairs of communities.
The author of this proposed paper presentation helped develop the theoretical framework and strategies for implementation, also serving as a facilitator of one of the partnerships. This presentation will describe the theoretical underpinnings and lessons learned from the implementation process. On a theoretical level, it will present the integrative elements of the program, offering an approach that synthesizes Contact Theory with Superordinate Goals Theory, offering a model that integrates Interest-based and Relational approaches to mediation and conflict engagement. It will also present the partnership between the Megiddo (Jewish) Regional Council and the Ma'ale-Iron (Arab) Local Council as a case study, a qualitative research based on the ongoing evaluation and results of the intervention program as documented throughout the process. It will present the challenges, dilemmas and questions that can serve future research and practice that aims at cultivating a shared society and overcoming social fragmentation. It will offer a reflection on the possibilities of arriving at sustainable outcomes in times of increasing divisiveness as reflected in the Nationality Bill that was passed in Israel in 2018. It will also draw connections to the current crisis in the US.
Additional Comments
Short bio: Ran Kuttner is an Associate Professor of Dispute Resolution (expert track) at the University of Haifa, where he teaches in the International Graduate Program in Peace and Conflict Management Studies. Until recently he also served as an academic advisor to Givat Haviva, an organization that aims at building a shared society and dialogue among Jews and Arabs in Israel. Prior to his return to Israel, he was an Associate Professor of Negotiation and Dispute Resolution at the Werner Institute, Creighton University (USA) and preceding his arrival at Creighton, he was a Visiting Scholar at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School for three years, where among other projects he helped redesign and teach Harvard Law School' Mediation Course. He is a certified mediator and mediation teacher in Israel and consults to organizations and community mediation centers that work towards a more dialogic Israeli society in implementing collaborative conflict engagement approaches. He teaches courses on dialogue, group facilitation, leadership and conflict resolution, negotiation, mediation and peacebuilding strategies. His recent publication: Partnership between Arab and Jewish Communities for the Construction of Shared Society: Givat Haviva Model (book).