Constructing a Collective Identity across Conflict Lines: Israeli-Palestinian Peace Movement Organizations

• In Event: 561 - Regular Session. Social Movement Organizations and Community

Abstract

For collective action to occur and be sustainable, social movements must construct collective identities and develop a sense of themselves as collective actors. This is especially difficult for movements that work across deep political and cultural chasms and, most notably, in situations of protracted conflict. Yet, there has been little consideration as to how movements and/or movement organizations that work across deep chasms and profound inequalities construct this collective identity. Moreover, there is almost no research on how movement organizations that work across conflict lines in situations of protracted conflict are able to establish this sense of cohesion and understanding of oneself as a collective actor. This research investigates how two peace movement organizations in Israel/Palestine, which work across the conflict divide, are able to construct shared collective identities in a political environment that casts each side as the enemy of the other. The findings indicate that in such environments, establishing trust is essential; story-telling goes a long way toward establishing that trust initially; but trust and, ultimately, collective identity depends on visible actions that confirm the constructed identity. The analysis also suggests that in situations where identity work is difficult, trust-building is a distinct stage of identity work, which needs to occur before the actual negotiation on the content of the collective identity.

Author

• Michelle I. Gawerc, Loyola University-Maryland