Abstract
In this chapter, the authors will discuss the process that conflicting parties experience of shifting from adversarial framing to reflexive reframing: from a focus on the faults and responsibility of the other to recognition of the needs and values present in all conflict parties. This will be described in theory and then shown in detail through two case studies of the Kumi Method of conflict transformation, with particular attention given to the learning achieved in its use, as well as dilemmas for practitioners of this type of engagement. The chapter concludes with some practical recommendations on how to (partially) solve the dilemmas in a way that maximises the benefit to the participants and minimises harm for both participants and facilitators.
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Notes
- 1.
After completing the chapter, the authors shared it with other facilitators who took part in the case studies discussed in it. Anat Reisman-Levy, Ruham Nimri and Shiri Bar provided helpful comments that were duly incorporated in the text.
- 2.
As Kaufman, Davies and Patel rightly argue in Chap. 4 in this volume, discarding the two other components of Intervention and Action from ARIA is not appropriate. However, in Kumi, the Transcend approach and ICA’s ToP have invention and action planning components that adequately compensate for the loss.
- 3.
In the Israeli Palestinian conflict both societies created concepts of clearly political nature, such as the “fence” vs. the“ wall”. In Israeli discourse, fence implies a needed and minimal defense mechanism to prevent terrorist attacks within Israel. In Palestinian discourse, wall implies separation of territory and people, a violent obstacle to freedom of movement and, in general, deliberate infringement by Israel on Palestinians’ property and human rights.
- 4.
This feeling was probably accentuated by the fact that sometimes there were as many as eight Kumi practitioners in the room: two facilitating and the others documenting and observing.
- 5.
In fact, Rothman (2012) has been experimenting with what he calls a “reverse attributional process” which these participants intuitively invented.
- 6.
I as a Palestinian Israeli facilitator, was viewed with suspicion by the Israelis in the room, and I became self-consciously troubled by this. At one point, I spoke to the Israeli participants in Hebrew. They immediately responded, tongue in cheek, by saying, “So, you’re one of us.” I did not know how to respond, and until this encounter with the Israeli participant outside the workshop room I had doubts about how to relate to the Israeli Jews and whether I had the capacity to continue in my role as a facilitator.
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Badawi, A., Sipes, B., Sternberg, M. (2012). From Antagonism to Resonance: Some Methodological Insights and Dilemmas. In: Rothman, J. (eds) From Identity-Based Conflict to Identity-Based Cooperation. Peace Psychology Book Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3679-9_5
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