Ethnic Group Conflict
Ethnic Group Conflict
Introduction
The world has numerous ethnicities and cultural entities. Although such diversity is extremely beneficial, it has also been the source of endless conflicts among different ethnic groups. Since the mid 20th Century, Israelis and Palestinians have been involved in endless conflicts. In the course of these conflicts, thousands of people have lost their lives. Although resources have been massive contributors of this conflict, ethnic differences have been influential. Consequently, it is fundamentally essential to examine the existing differences between both ethnic groups. Despite such differences, it is also essential to note that both ethnic groups have various similarities. In order to resolve the conflict between the Palestine people and Israelis, it is pertinent to evaluate the different social perceptions that might form the basis of the conflict resolution framework.
Similarities and Differences between Israelis and Palestinians
Both the Israeli and Palestinian ethnicities have numerous similarities. Firstly, both ethnicities have an excellent framework for religion. For the Palestine ethnic group, Islam is the most predominant religion. On the other hand, the Jewish religion is the most predominant form of spiritualism among Israelis. Apart from strong emphasis on spiritualism, another perspective that highlights the similarity between the two ethnic groups is the geographical location. Both the Palestine and Israeli people live in close proximity. For instance, both ethnicities occupy West Bank. Despite these similarities, numerous differences are also evident (Caplan, 2011).
Firstly, the Arab culture is predominant in Palestine. The Palestine people conform to most of the cultural stipulations of the Arab world. In contrast, the Israeli people do not have high regard for Arabian culture. This is mainly because of the domination of the Jewish religion in Israel. Social values among both ethnic groups are also different. For instance, Israeli women have greater influence in the society compared to their counterparts in Palestine. In the Palestinian culture, the role of women in the society is mostly restricted to domestic duties.
Another notable difference between these ethnic groups involves conformity to western cultures. Numerous elements of the western culture are predominant in the Israeli ethnic group. For instance, the extensive technological advancements are evident within the Israeli culture (Alpher, 2009). Although the Palestinians have also embraced numerous aspects of technology, they are strongly against western culture. For instance, the Palestinians prefer to don conventional Palestinian regalia.
Concept of Conformity
When analyzing the interactions between different ethnicities, it is pertinent to consider the concept of conformity. In essence, conformity implies the degree to which a group is willing to align to the values and practices of a different culture. Influence is an essential aspect with regard to the concept of conformity. In addressing the conflict between the Israeli and Palestine people, it is fundamentally vital to examine the concept of conformity. For both ethnic groups, none is ready to conform to the values the other ethnicity (Alpher, 2009). This has made it difficult to employ the concept of conformity in the resolution of the prevailing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
Social Perception and Social Cognition
Social cognition refers to the capacity of an individual to identify members from his social grouping. In order to identify these kinds of individuals, it is essential to understand the different attributes that comprise a social grouping. On the other hand, social perceptions encompass an individual’s views towards different social groupings. These perspectives strongly apply to the Israeli and Palestinian ethnic groups.
In terms of social cognition, the Israelis can easily recognize each other since they are familiar with the attributes that define members of this ethnic group (Teiford, 2008). The concept of social cognition also applies to the Palestinians in that they can identify each other without any form of difficulty. In essence, social cognition is an essential parameter that helps in averting conflicts between members of a similar ethnic group. On the other hand, social perceptions are vital in averting potential conflicts between individuals of different social groupings.
Resolving Conflicts Using Social Perceptions
The ethnic conflict between Israelis and Palestinians revolves around religious clashes. Specifically, both sides aim to attain control over Jerusalem. However, the concept of social perceptions would come in handy towards resolving the conflict between these two ethnicities. Through this concept, the Palestinians would appreciate the values and cultural principles of the Israelis. Similarly, the concept of social perceptions would also help the Israelis to appreciate the cultural values of the Palestinians. It is also essential to note that the concept of social perceptions helps in developing an effective framework for conflict resolution (Caplan, 2011). Additionally, social perceptions are vital in establishing a framework for appreciating diversity.
Conclusion
This paper encompasses an evaluation of Israeli and Palestinian ethnic groups. For the Palestine ethnic group, Islam is the most predominant religion. On the other hand, the Jewish religion is the most predominant form of spiritualism among Israelis. Apart from strong emphasis on spiritualism, another perspective that highlights the similarity between the two ethnic groups is the geographical location. A notable difference between these ethnic groups involves conformity to western cultures. Numerous elements of the western culture are predominant in the Israeli ethnic group.
References
Alpher, Y. (2009). Future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Critical trends. DIANE Publishing
Caplan, N. (2011). The Israel-Palestine conflict: Contested histories. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons
Teiford, J. (2008). Social perception: 21st Century issues and challenges. Armonk, NY:Nova Science Publishers
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