This volume works explores a transferable theory of a specific social-psychological infrastructure, based on the work of Dr. Daniel Bar-Tal, that develops from cultures immersed in intractable conflicts. The book's approach to this issue is different from approaches that are predominant in social psychology. This is because an important inspiration of many scholars that contributed to the book is their everyday experience of living in a region where intractable conflict shapes the life's of everybody who lives there. On the basis of this experience and on the basis of extensive research, an elaborate theory of intractable conflict was developed that deals with the origin of such conflicts, the mechanisms that maintain them and the processes that may contribute to their peaceful solution. In light of recent research and developments, this volume demonstrates, analyzes and reviews the theory of a social-psychological infrastructure formed in societies with intractable conflicts. It explores the contents of these elements of the infrastructure, the processes through which they are acquired and maintained, their functions, the societal mechanisms that contribute to their institutionalization, as well as their role in the crystallization of social identity and development of a culture of conflict. By demonstrating that it can be applied to various kinds of intractable conflicts in various places of world, the volume argues that the theory is transferable and universal. Moreover, the volume aims to exhibit new connections and integrations between Bar-Tal's theories and other prominent theoretical frameworks in social and political psychology. Presenting both a comprehensive overview of works that have been influenced by Bar-Tal's theories and research, as well as a wide gate to future studies that will connect Bar-Tal's work to recent theoretical developments in related domains, Understanding the Social Psychology of Intractable Conflicts: Celebrating the Legacy of Daniel Bar Tal is an important text for all those interested in developing a sustainable, peaceful world.

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.

This book introduces a comprehensive and integrative collection of psychological intergroup interventions. These evidence-based interventions are scientifically established and tested in several real-world contexts of intergroup animosities and tensions, from prejudice and inequality reduction to peace promotion. Intergroup hostility, violence, and discrimination have become more and more prevalent in the last decades. To address that challenge, recently, social scientists have shown an increasing shift from a descriptive to a more interventionist science, developing evidence-based interventions to improve intergroup relations. For the first time, this book includes research on intergroup interventions and their applications to the field, from a global collection of leading voices in the discipline. It also includes a conceptualization of intergroup interventions, a typology of different types of interventions, as well as a guideline for effective development of intergroup interventions. Each chapter focuses on one psychological intergroup intervention, further reviewing a sample of relevant platforms such as education, entertainment, and VR, upon which psychological intergroup interventions can be implemented. With each chapter featuring both intervention research and practical advice for practitioners, this is the ideal companion for researchers and professionals in social psychology, sociology, politics, peace studies and conflict resolution. It will also be of interest to practitioners looking for practical advice to create an impact in the real-world.

Social and political psychologists have attempted to reveal the reasons why individuals and societies that acknowledge that peace would improve their personal and collective well-being, and are aware of the required actions needed to promote it, are simply incapable of making this step forward. Some social psychologists have advocated the idea that certain societal beliefs and collective memories about the nature of the opponent, the in-group, the history, and the current state of the conflict distort the perceptions of society members and prevent them from identifying opportunities for peace. But these cognitive barriers capture only part of the picture. Could identifying the role of discrete emotions in conflicts and conflict resolution potentially provide a wide platform for developing pinpoint conflict resolution interventions? Using a vast array of primary sources, critical literature analysis, and firsthand personal experiences in various conflict zones (Middle East, Cyprus, Bosnia, and Northern Ireland), Eran Halperin introduces a new perspective on psychological barriers to peace. Halperin focuses on various emotional mechanisms that hamper peace processes, even when parties face real opportunities for conflict resolution. More specifically, he explores how hatred, anger, fear, angst, hope, despair, empathy, guilt, and shame, combined with various emotion regulation strategies, provide emotions-based explanations for people's attitudinal and behavioral reactions to peace-related events during the ongoing process of conflict resolution. Written in a clear and accessible style, Emotions in Conflict offers a thought-provoking and pioneering insight into the role discrete intergroup emotions play in impeding, as well as facilitating, peace processes in intractable conflicts. This book is essential reading for those who study intractable conflicts and their resolutions, and those who are interested in the 'real-world' implication of recent theories and findings on emotion and emotion regulation.

This book introduces a comprehensive and integrative collection of psychological intergroup interventions. These evidence-based interventions are scientifically established and tested in several real-world contexts of intergroup animosities and tensions, from prejudice and inequality reduction to peace promotion. Intergroup hostility, violence, and discrimination have become more and more prevalent in the last decades. To address that challenge, recently, social scientists have shown an increasing shift from a descriptive to a more interventionist science, developing evidence-based interventions to improve intergroup relations. For the first time, this book includes research on intergroup interventions and their applications to the field, from a global collection of leading voices in the discipline. It also includes a conceptualization of intergroup interventions, a typology of different types of interventions, as well as a guideline for effective development of intergroup interventions. Each chapter focuses on one psychological intergroup intervention, further reviewing a sample of relevant platforms such as education, entertainment, and VR, upon which psychological intergroup interventions can be implemented. With each chapter featuring both intervention research and practical advice for practitioners, this is the ideal companion for researchers and professionals in social psychology, sociology, politics, peace studies and conflict resolution. It will also be of interest to practitioners looking for practical advice to create an impact in the real-world.

This volume works explores a transferable theory of a specific social-psychological infrastructure, based on the work of Dr. Daniel Bar-Tal, that develops from cultures immersed in intractable conflicts. The book's approach to this issue is different from approaches that are predominant in social psychology. This is because an important inspiration of many scholars that contributed to the book is their everyday experience of living in a region where intractable conflict shapes the life's of everybody who lives there. On the basis of this experience and on the basis of extensive research, an elaborate theory of intractable conflict was developed that deals with the origin of such conflicts, the mechanisms that maintain them and the processes that may contribute to their peaceful solution. In light of recent research and developments, this volume demonstrates, analyzes and reviews the theory of a social-psychological infrastructure formed in societies with intractable conflicts. It explores the contents of these elements of the infrastructure, the processes through which they are acquired and maintained, their functions, the societal mechanisms that contribute to their institutionalization, as well as their role in the crystallization of social identity and development of a culture of conflict. By demonstrating that it can be applied to various kinds of intractable conflicts in various places of world, the volume argues that the theory is transferable and universal. Moreover, the volume aims to exhibit new connections and integrations between Bar-Tal's theories and other prominent theoretical frameworks in social and political psychology. Presenting both a comprehensive overview of works that have been influenced by Bar-Tal's theories and research, as well as a wide gate to future studies that will connect Bar-Tal’s work to recent theoretical developments in related domains, Understanding the Social Psychology of Intractable Conflicts: Celebrating the Legacy of Daniel Bar Tal is an important text for all those interested in developing a sustainable, peaceful world.

Social and political psychologists have attempted to reveal the reasons why individuals and societies that acknowledge that peace would improve their personal and collective well-being, and are aware of the required actions needed to promote it, are simply incapable of making this step forward. Some social psychologists have advocated the idea that certain societal beliefs and collective memories about the nature of the opponent, the in-group, the history, and the current state of the conflict distort the perceptions of society members and prevent them from identifying opportunities for peace. But these cognitive barriers capture only part of the picture. Could identifying the role of discrete emotions in conflicts and conflict resolution potentially provide a wide platform for developing pinpoint conflict resolution interventions? Using a vast array of primary sources, critical literature analysis, and firsthand personal experiences in various conflict zones (Middle East, Cyprus, Bosnia, and Northern Ireland), Eran Halperin introduces a new perspective on psychological barriers to peace. Halperin focuses on various emotional mechanisms that hamper peace processes, even when parties face real opportunities for conflict resolution. More specifically, he explores how hatred, anger, fear, angst, hope, despair, empathy, guilt, and shame, combined with various emotion regulation strategies, provide emotions-based explanations for people's attitudinal and behavioral reactions to peace-related events during the ongoing process of conflict resolution. Written in a clear and accessible style, Emotions in Conflict offers a thought-provoking and pioneering insight into the role discrete intergroup emotions play in impeding, as well as facilitating, peace processes in intractable conflicts. This book is essential reading for those who study intractable conflicts and their resolutions, and those who are interested in the 'real-world' implication of recent theories and findings on emotion and emotion regulation.

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.