Contact Theory and Arab and Jewish Students in Higher Education in Israel

• In Event: 14.040 - Peace Education in Conflict and Postconflict Settings

Abstract

Considering possible criticisms of contact theory’s validity for reducing negative attitudes in cases of intractable, complex intergroup conflict, this study examined the attitudes and intergroup relations of Israel’s Jewish (majority) and Arab (minority) by comparing two university campuses that differed in Arab student enrollment rates as well as levels of religiosity. Participants were 100 Jewish and 100 Arab students. Blue University with 20% Arab students offered more opportunities for intergroup contacts than the predominantly Jewish religious Orange University (1.9% Arab enrollment). As expected, findings showed more positive attitudes and relations between Jewish and Arab students at Blue University than at Orange University, thus corroborating the validity of contact theory in a major conflict situation.

Authors

• Zehavit Gross, Bar-Ilan University

• Rotem Maor, Bar- Ilan University