SPECIMEN #2025-I: Digital Playlists as Reflection and Refuge in an Israeli-Palestinian Research Collective

• In Event: Digital Ecologies of Hope: A Natural History of Emerging Media Futures

Abstract

This collaborative autoethnographic study documents how Israeli-Palestinian research collectives use curated music playlists to create connection during virtual meetings. When physical dialogue became impossible, password-protected Zoom rooms with shared YouTube playlists enabled continued cross-community collaboration. Songs chosen by Palestinian and Israeli co-researchers created sonic capsules of collective story, with music accompanying writing rituals and reflection periods. Each song carried personal significance, transforming digital placelessness into meaningful audible space. Multilingual closings blended with music, creating intercultural practices supporting group ethics across power differentials. Following October 7, 2023, playlist additions reflected community needs for comfort during crisis periods. These practices demonstrate how shared soundscapes sustain collaborative work despite political hostility. The research contributes to understanding how intercultural dialogue groups adapt media tools for peacebuilding, revealing sonic practices' role in creating holding spaces for communities navigating trauma while maintaining justice-oriented collaboration.

Author

• Shoshana Gottesman, Teachers College, Columbia University