2024-04-12 15:26
The biggest problem with the two-state solution is that it sounds so nice. It seems to make so much intuitive sense. I mean what could be fairer and politically logical then to take two comp… Read More
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Peace And Conflict Politics | Israel, Middle East Politics, And Communication Blog
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Israel, Middle East Politics, and Communication
2023-08-16 21:26
Polarization: or How We Came to Distort Reality so Thoroughly
I like to talk politics. And I’m really not so concerned about “winning an argument” or crushing some… Read More
2023-08-10 19:31
Communication with other information management systems, to be blunt as well as simplistic and obvious, is an important part of any endeavor to analyze our effective institutions and f… Read More
2023-04-22 15:12
The below just needs to be said every once in a while.
An alarming number of Americans believe some Trumped up version of reality that is so far from the truth – and so outrageo… Read More
2022-09-08 18:36
Most world leaders, at one time or another, inch toward the “madman” approach to international relations. They seek to get their enemy to believe that the leader is a madman a… Read More
2022-07-04 17:12
In Times of Universal Deceit, Telling the Truth Will Be a Revolutionary Act
GeorgeOrwell
Should I happen to fall into a conversation about Trump I now tell my conversational partne… Read More
2022-05-25 14:13
A couple of nights ago I went to a Jewish Community Center to listen to a talk by a respected scholar of Middle Eastern politics and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It was an enjoyable ev… Read More
2022-03-04 21:09
Here’s my take on what I think will happen in Ukraine and what the Russians will do.
But first a little humble pie for a group of distinguished scholars and their earlier predic… Read More
2022-01-19 19:56
An alarming number of Americans believe some Trumped up version of reality that is so far from the truth – and so outrageous – that you have to wonder what is happening to the po… Read More
2022-01-07 23:45
There is a useful phrase that mostly circulates in academic discourse termed “moral panic.” Moral panic is the exaggerated sense that some cultural phenomenon poses such a threat… Read More
2021-10-25 20:34
Dealing with ExtremistsOne of the biggest problems facing deliberation is dealing with extremists. Below are five qualities of deliberation that benefit engagement with culturally and ideolo… Read More
2021-09-29 23:24
You will never go wrong telling the parties to a conflict to “find common ground.” Common ground is a powerful proposition that is the basis for discussion and debate. And common… Read More
2021-09-20 13:39
It is now common enough to describe so many social dilemmas as a consequence of polarization, or a sharp division between two groups (e.g. conservative-liberal, Republican-Democrat, authorit… Read More
2021-07-29 18:51
Don Ellis
There’s something ironic about this historically significant business – Ben & Jerry’s ice cream – and its history of liberal politics. Ben &a&hell…Read More
2021-06-30 15:38
The BlogosphereMy own better angel has been working overtime trying to disentangle the actual blame for the partisan divides and nationalistic differences that characterize this country at t… Read More
2021-06-02 14:47
[D1] No group drags hate around in its wake like the Jews and their burdensome anti-Semitism. Throughout history anti-Semitism has found its way into every stratum of society. From the… Read More
2021-05-27 20:59
Posted by Donald Ellis
Below is the list of top 10 anti-Semitic slurs from the Simon Wiesenthal Center. All but one of these contributions for the year concerns me. I always look at the s… Read More
2021-02-19 08:07
{With the slightest of modifications, the below was posted in February of 2020}
Rush Limbaugh died this week. One of the worst and most damaging public figures ever to disgrace modern media… Read More
2021-02-17 18:56
There seems to be a lot of gnashing of teeth about Trump returning to politics, building his own party, or running again for office. But Brookings got it right when they identified nine poss… Read More
2021-01-22 23:02
No group drags hate around in its wake like the Jews and their burdensome anti-Semitism. Throughout history anti-Semitism has found its way into every stratum of society. From the rich theor… Read More
2021-01-16 00:53
Mind you, I give Trump no credit for knowledgeable and skilled use of social media. And even though I will examine his use of fake news this does not imply that Trump has conscious str… Read More
2021-01-04 14:01
This enigmatic term – “post truth” – has been around for some time now and it is confusing for most people. Since the Oxford English Dictionary concluded that the… Read More
2020-12-30 16:56
We must continue to underscore the concept of “civility” for democratic deliberation and political problem solving. It remains the case that too often civility is thought… Read More
2020-11-22 14:57
Yes, Trump lost the election. But he got 74 million votes: That means there is still work to do. There has been much analysis of Trump –his style, inelegance, crudity, and manipulation… Read More
2020-07-27 18:42
I have been interested in, and somewhat put off by, that spectrum of the left that considers their moral status to be so fundamental to the principles of the democratic state that they b… Read More
2020-07-07 15:46
America has always benefited from the tradition of rational discourse. It is part of our political DNA. And more than many other political cultures, we have at least approached the Habermasi… Read More
2020-07-01 19:09
Reprinted From: The Conversation
Deliberative processes must confront populist rhetoric and help return to the tradition of informed and moral discourse. Populist discourse remains in… Read More
2020-05-26 14:47
Louis Farrakhan just turned 87 and his Nation of Islam still represents the best of old-fashioned racism and anti-Semitism. He has more in common with the white racist right then he does mai… Read More
2020-05-20 15:26
The problem of polarization continues and is likely to be the defining political characteristic of contemporary United States. The US populace has been polarized before but it is typically… Read More
2020-04-26 18:51
Trump’s unhinged and deceitful presidency continues. Just when you think you’ve heard it all he suggests that citizens inject themselves with the chlorine-based chemical as a pos… Read More
2020-04-15 20:06
I’ve written about tolerance and civility before, (go here) and the polarization that accompanies failures in tolerance and civility, but not from the sort of post truth perspective t… Read More
2020-02-06 16:07
Rush Limbaugh received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is now officially a joke. You can note the decline in American culture and the thorough degradati… Read More
2019-12-11 15:59
In a post-truth world, and one where the death of expertise is an increasing threat, it makes sense that artificial moral dialogue should find a place in political discourse. In other words… Read More
2019-11-23 15:09
Israel’s Rights in the West Bank and International Law.
Alan Baker
Tablet Magazine
November 20, 2019
The issue of international law seems to be increasingly important and an issue tha… Read More
2019-10-30 15:13
The problem of polarization continues and is likely to be the defining political characteristic of contemporary United States. The US populace has been polarized before but it is typically o… Read More
2019-10-10 19:30
Anyone who thinks anti-Semitism is exaggerated or not a growing problem should read Bari Weiss’ new book “How to Fight anti-Semitism.” It’s a sobering account of hist… Read More
2019-10-01 14:45
Amy Olberding, writing in Aeon, makes the case for the relationship between civility and morality
By Amy Olberding For Aeon Magazine 9-6-2019
Public discourse is in an accelerati… Read More
2019-09-14 08:45
The below is from the International Crisis Group. On this page is the executive summary of a report on the issue of annexation and Israel. You can access the complete report at the link be… Read More
2019-08-24 22:39
The below is from the Jewish Voice published in the Jewish News Service by Fern Sidman
August 23, 2019 / JNS) On his HBO program last Friday night, irreverent comedian and pundit Bill Maher… Read More
2019-08-13 15:57
Book after book in recent years has alerted us—as if we couldn’t tell by reading the news and absorbing the panicked media—that democracy is in crisis. Did it start with Tr… Read More
2019-08-01 15:54
The article below is reprinted from Tablet and makes a gentle and fair-minded case for why Representative Omar should expand her experiences in Israel. We expect her to criticize Israel for… Read More
2019-07-21 14:11
We all know that Trump Lies. But he is actually more sophisticated than the simple bold faced fabricator. Check out some of his strategies for manipulating information. I am sure he is… Read More
2019-06-29 17:40
The below is from the International Crisis Group. On this page is the executive summary of a report on the issue of annexation and Israel. You can access the complete report at the link be… Read More
2019-06-06 15:36
The below is reprinted from Tablet (June 5, 2019). I have no problem with criticizing Israel and believe criticism is often well-deserved. But BDS and its supporters make legitimate criticis… Read More
2019-06-01 15:06
(May 31, 2019 / Reprinted from JNS) Just one month after the inauguration of the 21st Knesset, parliamentarians voted to disband the government and send the country into national elections… Read More
2019-05-03 13:26
The ‘Peaceful’ Movement to Destroy Israel
Originally published in Tablet 2019
By Yosef Kuperwasser
The immediate result of Israel’s recent election was a victo… Read More
2019-02-12 16:04
Reprinted from “The Conversation”
https://theconversation.com/how-to-say-im-sorry-whether-youve-appeared-in-a-racist-photo-harassed-women-or-just-plain-screwed-up-107678
I&rsquo&hell…Read More
2019-01-27 16:21
My most recent publication can be accessed below. It deals with the way in which ethnicity is socially constructed and its role in theories of communication and ethnic conflict. Below the l… Read More
2018-12-10 20:09
FOR A STATE, PALESTINIANS WOULD CEDE “RIGHT OF RETURN”—AND MORE
by David Pollock
Fikra Forum
December 3, 2018
Polling in the Palestinian territories demonstrates a dissona… Read More
2018-11-22 15:32
Below is a set of ideas related to how a two-state solution can work. It is presented by Professor Cohen-Almagor
In Support of Two-State Solution
Published
November 12, 2018
By
Profess… Read More
2018-11-01 21:47
[I have been reading Francis Fukuyama’s book on identity– I know, go ahead and laugh at how boring I must be but I like political theory–and he makes the case for human beh… Read More
2018-10-20 19:07
What does the latest political shift to the Right within Israel’s ruling coalition portend for Palestinians and Israeli Arabs ? Signaled by the May 26th appointment of two-time Foreign… Read More
2018-10-14 23:20
Once again given the condition of our political structure and deteriorating relationship between people holding different political opinions we have been hearing a lot more in the news about… Read More
2018-09-30 15:32
People have lost the ability to listen“ – How to save democracy
Veröffentlicht am 26. September 2018 The below is reprinted from: Sept 26, 2018 frontiersofdemocracy&nbs&hell…Read More
2018-09-13 18:25
Below is the address for my most recent publication. An abstract precedes it. I have been working in this area for my entire career and tried to make some arguments about the nature of ethni… Read More
2018-09-02 18:03
The below is from the Jewish News Service (August 31, 2018). It is an important issue with respect to future treatment of Israel’s minority groups and diverse populations. Israel must… Read More
2018-08-11 19:57
The below is from Bret Stephens of the New York Times, August 11, 2018. I reprint it here because it states the issues clearly and more accurately than many of the responses to the o… Read More
2018-07-18 13:21
Reproduced from Corey Robin blog located here:
The below is an interview with the newest media darling Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She describes herself as a socialist, which is unfortunate b… Read More
2018-06-13 13:56
People often refer to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a “war over God.” It’s easy for the casual observer to assume that the conflict is defined by Judaism or Islam. M… Read More
2018-06-07 20:41
Watching citizens yell at one another during debates and political discussion has reminded me of something more than the loss of civility. It prompts me to recall the distorted communicatio… Read More
2018-05-15 14:23
Jerusalem continues its long tradition of political energy, religious intensity, and misunderstanding. Having just returned from a couple of months in Jerusalem (a little work, a little play… Read More
2018-04-27 11:57
Palestinian protesters burn tires during clashes with Israeli security forces on the Gaza Israeli border east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip on April 6, 2018, the second of two… Read More
2018-04-18 09:36
[I thought the below was a clear statement of U.S. policy interests and Iraq. It is from the Washington Policy Institute.
HOW IRAQI SOVEREIGNTY SUPPORTS U.S. NATIONAL INTERESTS
by&nbs&helli…Read More
2018-04-03 11:14
I feel pretty strongly about gun control. And I take a purely statistical position meaning that the more guns that are available the more they will be accessible and therefore used. Consequ… Read More
2018-03-18 10:42
Well, it might not be the biggest issue because there are so many in Israel but it is certainly a leading contender and currently capturing regular headlines. And that is the matter of yesh… Read More
2018-03-04 16:48
I smell war in Israel. I’ve had the feeling for some time that Hezbollah will flex its muscles and even tried to provoke Israel and Iran, although they will not succeed. I arrived in… Read More
2018-02-18 16:45
In the wake of Trump’s declaration about moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, any framework for peace has been destabilized and any sense of direction has been lost or at least serious… Read More
2018-02-08 15:15
Israel, even with all its difficulties and enemies, is making progress with respect to its relationship with some other countries. Saudi Arabia, for example, just allowed flights to Israel t… Read More
2018-01-31 17:51
Donald Trump is leading this country into a dark place. Let us remember what Sinclair Lewis said in the 1930s: when fascism comes to America that it will be wrapped in the flag, sing… Read More
2018-01-24 17:15
Below is from Lakoff’s 10 points for democracy advocates. I thought it bore repeating mainly because it’s oriented toward information, news, and framing of issues rather than the… Read More
2018-01-11 16:00
Even the United States has lost a little ground when it comes to press freedom because of secrecy and security issues. Recently, some new data has emerged on press freedom around the world… Read More
2018-01-04 21:37
Like any social or political institution, ISIS needs communication strategies, information campaigns, propaganda, and technological access in order to manipulate its audiences, inspire volu… Read More
2017-12-26 10:00
As if the propaganda and distortions that ooze out of Fox News isn’t enough to damage to the quality of public discourse, Fox has a younger sibling who is growing and gaining strength… Read More
2017-12-16 18:19
The legal and political standing of Jerusalem remains unclear and subject to confusion. Recall from last week’s post that when the United Nations decided to divide Palestine into a Je… Read More
2017-12-10 21:26
The essay title “Jerusalem for Dummies” has been taken (go here) but I thought it was sufficiently descriptive so I appropriated it. There are of course any number of places wher… Read More
2017-12-05 02:53
Some problems can’t be solved. The fundamental assumptions and philosophy of two competing sides ensnared in the problem cannot be reconciled. Let me elaborate with an example:
There… Read More
2017-11-25 20:47
Democracies are rooted in communication and citizen talk is the most fundamental form of that communication. But I have noticed in the last couple of years that talk has become more difficu… Read More
2017-11-12 14:28
I rarely devote this blog space to domestic political matters. But every once in a while I am just compelled to comment on some absurdity or outrage in our political sphere (Trump has widene… Read More
2017-11-01 22:20
Free expression, transparent information, and trustworthy and reliable elections are the hallmark of a decent democracy. And although the open and available nature of the Internet is democr… Read More
2017-10-22 17:06
Changing the attitudes, beliefs, or values of someone else has always been a central research concern in the social sciences. Theories of social influence, group decision-making, contact, a… Read More
2017-10-11 16:25
The two-state solution to the Palestinian problem continues to be a hopeful image and a rational solution that benefits everyone. Historically there was considerable popular support for the… Read More
2017-10-04 18:29
Some believe things are quiet in the Middle East but actually they are stagnating. The governance situation in Palestinian territories is getting worse and both Israel and Palestine are fac… Read More
2017-09-24 15:09
A few weeks ago I published an article in the Jerusalem Post in support of the Kurds and their quest for independence. You can read that article here. And it remains the case that if you ar… Read More
2017-09-13 21:18
Hezbollah (“the Party of God”) continues to cast its extremist rhetoric in Israel’s direction but we are at a confluence of events that make war possible. Typically, Hezbo… Read More
2017-08-30 14:37
1. Don’t equate Zionism with racism. Zionism is a national aspiration to cultivate and encourage Jewish life, literature, culture, and politics. It is designed to encourage group inter… Read More
2017-08-23 18:25
The Palestinians have been politically dominated by two organizations. Fatah is a secular liberation movement that has had the most influence on Palestinian politics. The other group is Ham… Read More
2017-08-11 20:29
You know you’re under the jackboot of second-rate leadership when that leader invokes the cartoonish and overheated rhetoric of Armageddon or the Apocalypse. Trump’s threat to h… Read More
2017-08-04 20:16
Sure, it’s early to pass much reliable judgment on Obama’s presidency but I’m going to do it anyway. Obama was a young and relatively inexperienced political leader who, o… Read More
2017-07-28 19:50
A few weeks ago I wrote about the Kurds and their quest for independence and the establishment of a Kurdish state. That piece was published in the Jerusalem Post and you can access it here… Read More
2017-07-17 11:27
I recently returned from five months in Israel where I did many things but also had a chance to refine my understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But this trip I spent a little mo… Read More
2017-06-13 08:16
The Kurds have been friends of United States and are deserving of our help to develop their own sovereign nation. The Kurds are spread out over Turkey, Iran, and Iraq and since World War I… Read More
2017-06-02 09:06
Sign posts are seen in front of the West Bank Jewish settlement of Maale Adumim near Jerusalem November 13, 2013. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday his peace negotiators… Read More
2017-05-21 10:01
Any peace deal signed by Trump will, by definition, be tainted and suspicious. It will lack credibility and be untrustworthy from the start. Even when he steps forward and espouses generali… Read More
2017-05-07 06:22
It will be interesting to see how Trump does with Abbas and the scheduled discussions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Given Trump’s gargantuan ego I suppose it was to be expected… Read More
2017-05-02 18:38
Early in the campaign I thought Trump was displaying some linguistic and behavior patterns that were troublesome. I don’t mean this to be snide as if I were calling him “crazy&r&helli…Read More
2017-04-21 12:25
It’s pretty easy for most Americans to pay little attention to Turkey. It seems to be a faraway exotic place that has little effect on their lives. But the truth is otherwise. Turkey… Read More
2017-04-10 07:28
The strike against the Syrian al-Shayrat Air Base south of Homs is certainly controversial but generally supported around the world. The base was used as a launching pad in a chemical weapo… Read More
2017-04-01 12:35
Go ahead, click on the video and enjoy the music before reading below. Sam Cooke predicted in 1960 an attitude that is gaining momentum.
A diminished expectation of ability or preparation i… Read More
2017-03-21 10:14
A couple of weeks ago the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) issued a report equating Israel with apartheid. The ESCWA is charged with promoting economic… Read More
2017-03-12 12:39
This week’s Jerusalem Post had a 25 page insert that was a political journal sponsored by the “Women in Green” who are a very conservative grassroots group concerned with… Read More
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