How NGOs May Promote a Shared Society in Conflict-Affected Areas The Cases of Israel and Cyprus

Adi Binhas, Wurud Jayusi, Christina Hajisoteriou

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    This article comparatively examines the results of a qualitative study of how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) may promote a shared society in the conflict-affected areas of Israel and Cyprus. The authors have chosen to set their research in these two contexts, where the complex relationships between the majority and the minority communities have led to persistent conflicts that seem rather 'intractable' and 'frozen'. Three thematic categories emerge from this analysis: (a) empowering citizens to enact intercultural initiatives; (b) enhancing youth's agency; and (c) collaborating with the state and other actors. The authors discuss their findings under the framework of interculturalism and intercultural change. Their argument is that for peacebuilding to flourish in both countries, civil society organizations (CSOs) should cultivate sympathetic imagination by enabling people from the communities in conflict to firstly imagine and then pursue alternatives to the current status quo.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)539-560
    Number of pages22
    JournalComparative Sociology
    Volume22
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2023

    Keywords

    • conflict areas
    • CSOs (civil society organizations)
    • Cyprus
    • Israel
    • NGOs (non-governmental organizations)
    • shared society

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