IACM conference, Berlin 2017 – Round table

Studying Encounters among Diverse Groups in

Contemporary Complex Societies

The college as a natural space of encounter,

teaching action research seminar

Oriana Abboud Armali

 Action Research Cycles

• A conflict transformation process involving Jewish and Palestinian Arab students

that was carried out through a year-long research seminar course, entitled “The
College as a Natural Space of Encounter”
 Negotiating Reality Approach
• One of the key lessons from previous research cycles was that the majority of both the Jewish and Arab students tended
to resist talking about the conflict and its implication for their relationships (the “one big happy family” phenomena).

• We developed a constructionist approach called “negotiating reality” aimed at helping the students build a more positive
shared reality.

• Members of conflicting groups in a natural space of encounter would be more open and able to engaging in conflict
transformation if
• (a) they were dealing with their own immediate reality over which they have some control, rather than the conflict in general;
• (c) they saw themselves as active constructors of their joint reality and
• (d) they acquired conceptual and practical tools that enabled them put social constructionism into practice.
 Reflexivity
• Emphasis on reflexivity: Tools and methods that encourage reflexivity towards
• Dialogue in class
• The experiences of the course (guest lectures, tours to mixed cities),
• Literature
• Research projects.

• The students were trained to step back, observe, and express their internal reactions,
emotional as well as cognitive, to everything that happened in the course.
 The Expression of Emotion
• When critical incidents triggered conflict between Jewish and Arab students, they
were encouraged to express their feelings freely. They did so in separate groups.

• Expressing “negative” emotions and at the same time trying to look reflexively at
these emotions, what triggered them, and how the other side might be feeling.

• Emotional re-appraisal took place. Relationships transformed.