A Social Psychology Perspective on The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Due to its intensity and extensive effects both locally and globally, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has drawn the attention of scholars from numerous disciplines, who attempt to explain the causes of the conflict and the reasons for the difficulties in resolving it. Among these one can find historians, geographers, political scientists, sociologists and others. This volume explores the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a social psychology perspective. At the core of the book is a theory of intractable conflicts, as developed by Daniel Bar-Tal of Tel Aviv University, applied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.   

Opening with an introduction to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict situation and a few chapters on the theoretical backgrounds of the creation of a societal ethos of conflict, the volume then moves to an analysis of the psycho-social underpinnings of the conflict, while concluding with a discussion of the possibility of long-standing peace in the region. Among the topics included in the coverage are:

·         Identity formation during conflict

·         The Israeli and Palestinian ethos of conflict

·         The important role of Palestinian and Israeli education

·         An analysis of the leadership in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process

·         The challenges and potential towards a road to peace in the region

 All contributors to the volume are pre-eminent scholars of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and many of them have felt the influence of Bar-Tal’s formulations in their own work. A rich resource for those who are followers of Dr. Bar-Tal's work,  for those who study intractable conflicts in all its forms, and for those who have a particular interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,  A Social Psychology Perspective of the Israeli-Palestinian Case offers a detailed exploration of the psychological underpinnings of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the barriers to and opportunities of the peace process.