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Young Children’s Experiences and Learning in Intractable Conflicts

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Book cover A Social Psychology Perspective on The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Part of the book series: Peace Psychology Book Series ((PPBS))

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Abstract

Children, as other members of societies involved in intractable conflicts, are continuously exposed to the powerful effects of these conflicts, because the chronic threat of violence dominates their lives. From a very early age, they are aware of the conflictual environment, absorbing information, forming concepts, categories, impressions, understandings, and preferences regarding the conflict and the rival. The present chapter discusses the personal experiences of young children in the context of an intractable conflict and the ways in which they learn about the conflict. In addition, it presents the content that young children acquire regarding the conflict in general and particularly pre-school children, focusing on the Israeli-Jewish case. The chapter concludes by arguing that these early conflict-related experiences and learning contribute to the continuation and preservation of conflicts.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Societal beliefs are defined as cognitions shared by society members that address themes and issues with which society members are particularly occupied and which contribute to their sense of uniqueness (Bar-Tal, 2000; see also Oren, Chap. 8; Shaked, Chap. 9).

  2. 2.

    A term used in the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 42:6).

  3. 3.

    A phrase from the Passover Haggadah (text used on Passover).

  4. 4.

    Haman is the Persian antagonist in the story of Purim.

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Acknowledgment

Meytal Nasie is grateful to the Azrieli Foundation for the award of an Azrieli Fellowship.

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  1. School of Education, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Meytal Nasie

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  1. Meytal Nasie
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Correspondence to Meytal Nasie .

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  1. University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel

    Keren Sharvit

  2. Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Psychology, Herzilya, Israel

    Eran Halperin

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Nasie, M. (2016). Young Children’s Experiences and Learning in Intractable Conflicts. In: Sharvit, K., Halperin, E. (eds) A Social Psychology Perspective on The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Peace Psychology Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24841-7_3

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