Description:

One of the mysteries of the Middle East is how large-scale social (and even military) conflict is lived with, managed, and integrated into daily life. Israel is particularly interesting, with dramatic “external” conflicts that are beyond the range of any individual resolution and an “internal” domestic society that seems remarkably cohesive. The situation in the occupied Palestinian territories is especially challenging, with externally-imposed legal and physical constraints creating intense pressures on families and local businesses.

Frederick Hertz recently spent five months living and teaching in Israel, with a focus on family law issues for same-sex couples. Robert Terris previously lived in Israel and in Palestine, and has studied conflict resolution strategies in occupied Palestine. They will share their observations and lead a discussion on how domestic societal tensions and small-scale “internal” disputes are managed in Israeli and Palestinian society. The discussion will be of interest to anyone who would like to understand how multi-national and regional conflicts impact the long-term stress on individuals and communities, and how these powerful external circumstances affect individual efforts to resolve their local and inter-personal disputes.
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