Helena Syna Desivilya

Integrating social entrepreneurship and conflict engagement for regional development in divided societies

This paper argues that, in divided societies, social entrepreneurship can be an effective strategy for regional development if it is integrated with conflict engagement. It views both social entrepreneurship and conflict engagement through a social constructionist lens and employs theory building methods from action research and programme theory evaluation. The argument is presented in the form of a ‘programme theory of action’, called the ‘Studio for Social Creativity’ that provides the conceptual and practical basis for promoting development in Israels northern periphery, a region characterized by socio-economic stagnation as well as deep social divisions, especially between Jewish and Arab Palestinian inhabitants. The programme theory of action includes a description of the context, the problem framing, underlying assumptions, action strategies and intended outcomes. It hypothesizes that integrating social entrepreneurship and conflict engagement impacts regional development by redefining inter-group relationships, enhancing social networks, activating social capital, leveraging diversity and challenging existing power structures.

Rescuing Dialogue between Jews and Arabs in the Course of Escalating Conflict: What Students Can Tell us about Living in Protracted Conflict Environment?

The current article provides an account and analysis of a two year project designed to create a framework for Jewish and Arab students (citizens of Israel) on academic campus, aimed at rescuing dialogue in spite of an escalating course of the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A learning community was established, addressing issues of joint concern for both groups of students, while confronting and introspecting the about the participants multiple social identity, mutual images and contextual influences, namely the growing polarization between Jews and Arabs due to the escalation in Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The projects were designed as experiential workshops co-facilitated by Jewish and Arab trained and experienced women in the domain of co-existence. Operational and conceptual lessons drawn from both projects are presented and some future directions are delineated.