Building space for peace: Challenging the boundaries of Israel/Palestine

This dissertation explores whether and how the bounding practices of Israeli and Palestinian groups working nonviolently towards a "just and lasting peace" (even in times of armed conflict) shape 'group' and 'individual' identities that differ from 'official' zero-sum Self-Other narratives. The dissertation extends previous work on peace and conflict resolution groups in Israel/Palestine by looking at (a) groups that continued their work (or were created anew) after the collapse of the Oslo Peace Process; (b) groups engaged in on-going nonviolent social change (including direct action) and not merely dialogue and coexistence programming; (c) the dynamic multi-dimensionality of the conflict through an approach that examines how social, political, and territorial boundaries are established, challenged, and maintained through words and deeds, and (d) relational theory as a means to bridge the gaps between International Relations, Geopolitical, and Peace and Conflict Resolution approaches to this subject. Based in over 80 formal interviews, dozens of informal interviews, and nine months of participant observation of group meetings and activities conducted during 2004-2005, the dissertation inventories the 'contested terrain' of articulations of peace and identity in the Israeli-Palestinian context. The results include a documentation of bounding mechanisms used by the groups and individuals studied and stories showing how non-zero sum identities are framed by those working for peace, and how 'peace-building' works in practice.