Beyond Bullets and Bombs: Grassroots Peacebuilding between Israelis and Palestinians

by Judy Kuriansky

Overview

In the midst of ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, civil war, and political discord, courageous civilians from both sides are working together toward mutual understanding and peace. In 40 captivating chapters, experts tell intriguing personal stories, interwoven with psychosocial models and principles, describing how people living in hostile cultures can establish harmony. We come to know established programs like Seeds of Peace and Search for Common Ground, as well as lesser-heralded, yet valiant efforts by children and adults of the region. This hope-filled work will be of interest to everyone who cares about peace, as well as to professionals and students in the social sciences, psychology, international relations, public policy, human rights, and cross-cultural studies.

In the midst of ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, civil war, and political discord, courageous civilians from both sides are working together toward mutual understanding and peace. Israeli Jews and Arabs, and Palestinian Muslims and Christians, young and old, men and women, are cooperating in grassroots people-to-people projects, developing educational programs and creating activities to bridge their differences. Beyond Bullets and Bombs showcases such impressive and important projects that deserve more support and world attention. In 40 captivating chapters, experts tell intriguing personal stories interwoven with psychosocial models and principles proving how people living in hostile cultures can establish peace.

This collection is the perfect companion to Kuriansky's earlier book, Terror in the Holy Land: Inside the Anguish of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, an unprecedented work that presents more than 30 chapters written by Israelis, Palestinians, and psychological experts on the underpinnings and effects of the conflict. In the volume at hand, we come to know established programs like Seeds of Peace and Search for Common Ground, as well as lesser-heralded, yet valiant efforts by children and adults of the region working together for peace. Both volumes will be of interest to everyone who cares about peace, as well as to professionals and students in the social sciences, psychology, international relations, public policy, human rights, and cross-cultural studies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275998806
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	08/30/2007
Series:	Contemporary Psychology
Pages:	408
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.94(d)

About the Author

Judy Kuriansky, PhD, is an internationally known, licensed clinical psychologist and an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Clinical Psychology at Columbia University Teachers College and in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

What People are Saying About This

Victor Chan

" Beyond Bullets and Bombs looks at the issues of an age-old conflict from a different angle. It combines the voices and expertise of people from many backgrounds to show a way out of violence and persecution. His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, famously states that peaces comes from within. This book gives us the sense that the seeds of peace have been planted and will be allowed to grow on Israeli and Palestinian soil. It is a book of hope!"
— Victor Chan, Dalai Lama Center

Saida Nusseibeh

"Dr. Judy Kuriansky's book is very important. When things on the ground are very dark, it relays a ray of sunshine and hope for the people to be guided by: that both peoples can work together and live together side by side, for they are both the Children of Abraham."
— Saida Nusseibeh, Founder of Jewish/Arab Dialogue and Education in Europe(JADE), Member of United Religions Initiative- Middle East North Africa region (URI MENA)

Susan Collin Marks

"Making conflict is easy, building peace is heroic. This book reflects the real heroes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict--individual human beings willing to take a stand for peace, to live it in their daily lives, to embody it in activism, and to sustain it in organizations. Judy Kuriansky has done it again, going to the core of peace building where it matters, in the hearts and minds of the courageous people actually doing the work of building peace in the Holy Land. She, and they, deserve our unreserved respect, honor, and gratitude."
— Susan Collin Marks, Senior Vice President, Search for Common Ground, Author of Watching the Wind: conflict resolution during South Africa's Transition to democracy

Tony Jenkins

"With Beyond Bullets and Bombs Dr. Kuriansky has assembled an exemplary collection of accounts of Israeli and Palestinian peacemakers in action. These diverse stories of promise and possibility should be read by all concerned with the seemingly ceaseless violence of the region as these acts of courage, strength, and faith reveal that peace can and will come from the people and that the intractable conflict of Israel-Palestine is not as intractable as it seems."

— Tony Jenkins, Co-Director, Peace Education Center, Teachers College, Columbia University

Florence Denmark

"Once again Judy Kuriansky has applied her vast international experience, impressive knowledge of relationships, conflict resolution, journalism, and extensive work representing psychological issues at the United Nations, to produce a book that is a major contribution to psychology and world peace and should be read by all."
— Florence Denmark, Ph.D., Past President & Main Representative to the United Nations, American Psychological Association, Distinguished Research Professor, Pace University

Editorial Reviews

An anthology of the efforts of both countries to build peace.” —Library Jourbanal

“[Kuriansky] draws on her experience as a jourbanalist and peace activist and is to be congratulated for putting together this first-of-its-kind book, which describes people-to-people projects aimed at fostering mutual understanding, cooperation, and coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians […] This book is highly recommended for students involved in Mideast and international studies and in clinical, community, and social psychology and peace education, as well as for peace activists and psychologists who work internationally […] This book provides a hard look at the couraegous and difficult work by Israelis and Palestinians on both sides of the conflict who are creatively trying to move beyond fear, hate, and political impasse.” —PsycCRITIQUES

“Kuriansky, an American clinical psychologist interested in the pscyho-social issues of the conflict, has gathered an impressive survey of these initiatives in the form of articles by Palestinian and Israeli Jewish academics, medical professionals, encounter group facilitators, and students. The writers discuss the ways communication skills, educational materials, dialogue, cooperative camps, and art projects….are used for peacebuilding. This is a title that will be of much use to those interested in inter-group dynamics and dialogue, in terms of borh the Mideast conflict and other inter-groups as well.” —MultiCultural Review

“Frustrated that the goal of peace between Israelis and Palestinians remains thwarted in political channels, Kuriansky writes that she is however heartened by progress between Israeli Jewish and Palestinian civilians working together in grassroots projects. She presents 40 chapters, written by academics and practitioners, that profile some positive examples of such projects, which range from educational endeavors and cultural activities to academic and public forums, art and filmmaking, interfaith events, dialogue and encounter groups, research and just fun.” —Reference & Research Book News

From the Publisher