Teaching and Playing Sport for Conflict Resolution and Co-Existence in Israel

Abstract

Football for Peace (F4P) is a sport-based co-existence project, for Jewish and Arab children, organized by the University of Brighton in partnership with the British Council, which has been running in towns and villages of the Galilee region of northern Israel since 2001. This article examines this initiative, first, by placing it in its broader socio-economic and political context; and, second, by tracing its specific history and development. Third, the article draws upon interviews conducted in the field and records kept by student volunteers to identify some of the key issues that emerge when making sport-based social interventions in complex, divided societies like Israel. The article suggests that if projects such of this are locally grounded, carefully thought out, and professionally managed they can make a modest contribution to wider efforts to promote conflict resolution and peaceful co-existence. The conclusion raises some of the broader socio-political issues and controversies that continue to inform the Project’s development.

Sport events and ethnic reconciliation: Attempting to create social change between Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim sportspeople in war-torn Sri Lanka

“…If strategically organised, inter-community sport programs encourage healthy competition, promote friendship and develop intergroup understanding, resulting in social development (Gasser & Levinsen, 2004;Schulenkorf, 2009;Schulenkorf, Thomson, & Schlenker, 2009;Stidder & Haasner, 2007;Sugden, 2006). Conceptually, social development can be divided into three main interrelated constructs: social capital, capacity building, and social change (Moscardo, 2007).…”

Intercommunity Sport Events: Vehicles and Catalysts for Social Capital in Divided Societies

“…Active consciousness; the creation of national identity and patriotism; and the process of reconciliation participation with "others" is needed to experience firsthand the power of sport and sport events to (Jarvie, 2003;Maguire, 2002). The building of nationalism, for example, is illustrated by the 1936 contribute to social development (Coalter, 2007;Sugden, 2006). This article provides an empirical Nazi-Olympics in Berlin, which the Hitler regime intended to use as a medium to showcase the investigation of an intercommunity sport event as a strategic tool for reducing social barriers and Arian race and the Germanic nations as the dominant world power.…”

“…play a role in the construction, reproduction, and/ or consolidation of social identities in politically, Better publicized sport events, such as World Cups or the Olympic Games, have demonstrated socially, or ethnically divided societies (Schulenkorf, 2010b;Sugden, 2006). For such reasons, this social power of sport.…”

“…Here, different "melting pot" de-velopment programs have proven to be successful Giulianotti, 2001;Hall, Selwood, & McKewon, 1995;Higham, 1999;Sack & Suster, 2000). Such in promoting longer term cross-cultural understanding and "normalizing" in deeply divided soantisocial behavior may lead to a reiteration or reemergence of historical and prejudicial stereotypes cieties such as: Israel (Stidder & Haasner, 2007;Sugden, 2006); Bosnia/Herzegovina (Gasser & (Dimeo & Kay, 2004), which are capable of worsening already strained intergroup relations (DiLevinsen, 2004(DiLevinsen, , 2006; Sierra Leone (Lea-Howarth, 2006); Liberia (Armstrong, 2004);South Africa meo, 2001;Hay, 2001). Thomas and Dyall (1999) even suggest that sport performances are often in-(Guelke & Sugden, 2000;Höglund & Sundberg, 2008);and Northern Ireland (Bairner & Darby, terpreted by those who watch or participate in them, in ways that dramatize ongoing cultural and 2000; Sugden, 1991).…”

Acquisition and Transfer of Values and Social Skills through a Physical Education Program Focused in the Affective Domain

“…For example; for some students it is important to embrace the value of fair play when they participate in sports or games but for others winning is more important even if they have to bend the rules (Arruce-Giraldez, 2011). For this reason, researchers believe it is important for all educators including physical educators to implement programs to develop appropriate social skills and values to their students through the PE class (Samalot-Rivera & Porretta, 2012;Samalot-Rivera, 2013;Shehu, 2010;Sugden, 2006;Torres, 2011).…”