The Public Arena
The Public Arena at aChord promotes support and action for peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. We believe that social psychology can make a unique contribution to understanding the psychological infrastructures in societies experiencing prolonged conflict, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In line with aChord’s vision of tolerant, respectful, and equal relations between groups, we intend to harness knowledge and tools from the social psychology of longstanding conflicts in order to promote social support for ending the violent and bloody conflict.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is deep, longstanding, and exacts a heavy toll in lives. Many factors – geopolitical, economic, regional, and others – stand in the way of resolving the conflict and reaching the long-awaited peace. Social psychology offers another perspective, which focuses on the system of beliefs, positions, and emotions that directly, but often unconsciously, affects the way people interpret the reality of the conflict and how they act in relation to it. This same set of attitudes and feelings shapes the perceptions that people living with ongoing conflict have about the other party, about their own group, about conflicts in general, and about how any change – if change is at all possible – might occur.
Research
Research in social psychology over several decades has provided extensive knowledge on how national conflicts shape the consciousness of citizens and especially on how this consciousness impedes progress toward potential solutions. At the same time, an important academic field has emerged in recent years that develops science-based interventions aimed both at changing perceptions and positions regarding conflicts and at motivating action seeking to end the conflict and bring peace between nations. Alongside the global knowledge that this field has produced, a great deal of knowledge has accumulated specific to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The work addressing peace and reconciliation at aChord is based on this body of knowledge. We undertake additional research to deepen our understanding of the perceptions and positions of different groups in the Israeli public and how to influence these positions regarding peace and reconciliation. We use a variety of research methodologies, including focus groups, large-scale surveys, field studies, and experimental research.
On the ground
We aim to influence positions, perceptions, and emotions prevalent in the Israeli public regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, by translating innovative academic knowledge into action in the field.
Through consultation, accompaniment, training, and development, we help actors in the field integrate knowledge and tools from social psychology in their efforts to promote ending the conflict and achieving peace. We believe that ongoing work with civil society organizations, with media organizations, and with change agents on social media will help change perceptions and positions and build narratives promoting support for peace and reinforcing the belief that peace and reconciliation between the two peoples are attainable.
Public Department
