College promotes dialogue on Israel-Hamas conflict
MAHWAH, N.J. – As tensions flare on college campuses over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one New Jersey school is trying to bridge the divide with a series of events aimed at humanizing the other and promoting dialogue.
Ramapo College’s program is bringing together experts, students and individuals with firsthand reports from the region.
The college in Mahwah, New Jersey, hosted speakers who delivered accounts of the Oct. 7 attack in Israel and of the dire situation and needs on the ground in Gaza. On March 12, in the third talk in the series, two scholars gave insights on how to approach dialogue on a subject that can feel fraught with emotion to some and intimidating for others.
Here are three takeaways from the presentation and interviews with Mira Sucharov, a professor of political science at Carleton University, and Sa’ed Atshan, an associate professor of peace and conflict studies and anthropology at Swarthmore College.
Get educated
Look at a wide range of sources from American and international news outlets to get an understanding of current events, Atshan advised.
He reads the publication Haaretz daily, he said, adding that Israeli media give more voice to Israel’s critics than American mainstream news organizations.
“It’s useful to, alongside CNN, to look at the Israeli press, to look at the Arab press, to look at Al Jazeera … so it’s curating a combination of social media sources as well as mainstream media sources with a wide range of points of view and wide range of regions,” Atshan said.
Humanize the other
Start with a “How are you?” said Sucharov.
The Canadian professor and author encouraged people to share their concerns and fears, then say what they need to feel safe. The conversation can start with areas of agreement and recognizing one another’s pain.
“Even if you find you are clashing a lot, you say, ‘Well, let’s start a new round of conversation today and let’s start on what we can both agree on,’ and that builds a common ground,” she said.
Protect free speech
Colleges and universities should send a strong message that academic freedom is paramount, even as they face intense external pressures to quell speech tied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, both speakers said.
“When universities are getting donor dollars, they have to be very clear that that donor realizes that academic freedom is part of the deal,” Sucharov said.
Atshan said institutions have to stand behind their values, principles and commitments to free speech.
“Faculty in the classroom and students in the classroom should feel that they can engage in ideas, engage in critical thinking and play devil’s advocate without negative repercussions,” he said.