A LEWINIAN APPROACH TO INTERGROUP WORKSHOPS FOR ARAB-PALESTINIAN AND JEWISH YOUTH

This article utilizes three areas of knowledge derived from field theory to conceptualize and analyze the planning and conduct of conflict management workshops for Arab and Jewish youth in Israel. The three areas of knowledge are ethnic identity and majority-minority relations, a theory of individual change within a social group, and principles of action research. The central field-theoretical concepts in each of these areas were applied to contemporary conflict management workshops. Among the products of this action research were changes in participants' attitudes, development of methods for the training and support of trainers, and accumulated knowledge regarding the differences between the two ethnic groups in communication and interpersonal styles.