Transcript adha paper
Putting it on the agenda (again) HISTORICAL DIALOGUE IN HISTORY EDUCATION IN ISRAEL, THE GAZA STRIP AND THE WEST BANK Aims of today 1. 2. Brief and dense tour of education systems and history education British Mandate Palestine Israel Gaza Strip West Bank A position on history education to be debated after the presentation(s) children= citizens-in-the-making and thus key actors in building long term reconciliation and political change. Multi-perspective enquiry based history education in form of local children’s histories as a way forward? Mandate Palestine Education structures Few public schools for Palestinians American missionary schools in larger cities Jewish schools system (on backdrop of pro-Jewish immigration policy) History education Public schools for Palestinians Hegemonic curriculum on basis of British history Jewish schools system diaspora history Establishment of Islamic schools as counter-reaction to British failure to provide education for Palestinians century long positive relations between Palestinians and Palestinians Jew Separate education systems established mono-lingual educational cultures and spaces connected histories rather than separate Educational systems reproducing community elites social and political fragmentation and development of two nationalisms (History) Education in Israel Palestinians 1948-1966 • • Underfunded system and overcrowded buildings Use of hegemonic curriculum influenced by Zionist curriculum for Israeli Jews • 1967- • Aim of loyalty to Israel • Despite curriculum change in 1970’s emphasis still on • Israeli hegemonic commemorative narratives, • Jewish place names • Renamed Israeli Arabs Education system for ‘Israeli Arabs' under military control • Underfunded system, overcrowded buildings and rotating teacher corps • Use of hegemonic curriculum influenced by Zionist curriculum for Israeli Jews Education = imposed policy like forced urbanisation • Civilian education system established, but no Palestinian influence Israelis 1948-1966 Education system for ‘Israeli Arabs' under military control • • Bedouin 1967• ‘Civilian’ education system established • Aim of loyalty to Israeli • Despite curriculum change in 1970’s emphasis still on • Israeli hegemonic commemorative narratives • Jewish place names • Renamed Israeli Arabs • Aim of a Zionist historical consciousness (radical break) • 1st gen. Textbooks = national commemorative narratives (1950s1970s ) • 2nd gen. textbooks in the 1970’s no different (ministerial publications) • 1980: 37% of Jewish students explicated hated Arabs. 67% stated that Arabs should not have full and equal rights. • Moderation of textbooks from late 1980s to 2nd Intifada (partial ‘dezionisation’ during Peace Process) Post-intifada = Zionism regained hegemonic position in education Continuation of imperial policy of separate education systems + mono-lingual and oppositional educational cultures , identities and spaces Openings & alternatives within Israel In education Handful of bi-lingual schools established jointly by Israeli and Palestinians parents Civil Society Shared history classes with attempts to deal with conflicting histories History booklets with dual narratives co-developed by Israeli and Palestinian scholars, teachers and international observers through the Peace Research Institute of the Middle East (Adwan & Bar-On) NGO engagement (i.e. Zochrot and the Haifa Initiative) workshops, public lectures, videos, articles, tours as well as study and learning groups from the early 2000’s Theatrical plays for Israeli pupils and students by both professional theatres and coproductions with schools Village histories of villages destroyed with the establishment of Israel on basis of memories, oral history as well as Ottoman and British land ownership documents Education in the Gaza Strip 1948-1966 1967-1993 • • • UNRWA school system from 1949 with intention of ‘integration’ Pro-Egyptian curriculum by Jordan due to control of territory • Educational system still run by UNRWA and textbook curriculum by Jordan but in context of Israeli occupation 1968-1969: Re-examination Suppression of Palestinian history through of UNRWA textbooks after Israeli pressure through UN Class rooms: some space for Palestinian teachers to focus on Palestinian perspectives 1993Formation of Palestinian Authority and Ministry of Education History curriculum under Palestinian control for the first time 1996-2001 textbooks found moderate or unproblematic by international analyses Class rooms: some space for Palestinian teachers to focus on Palestinian perspectives • • Development of strong ties to memories of older generations of former homes and villages • Development of strong ties to memories of older generations of former homes and villages Post-intifada textbooks turn towards stronger emphasis on Islam (PLO vs. Hamas), in some cases liberation becomes Holy War just as Christian Palestinians are excluded • UNRWA schools vehicles for development of strong sense of Palestinian identities • UNRWA schools vehicles for development of strong sense of Palestinian identities New online project of peace education to be launched soon (Jamil) • Education in the West Bank 1948-1966 Educational system still run by UNRWA and textbook curriculum by Jordan but in context of Israeli occupation Formation of Palestinian Authority and Ministry of Education • 1968-1969: Suppression of Palestinian history via reexamination of UNRWA textbooks after Israeli pressure through UN (Jordanian wish of taking over West Bank) History curriculum under Palestinian control for the first time • Class rooms: relatively large space for Palestinian teachers to focus on Palestinian perspectives 1996-2001 textbooks found moderate or unproblematic by international analyses Development of strong ties to memories of older generations of former homes and villages • Development of strong ties to memories of older generations of former homes and villages UNRWA schools vehicles for development of strong sense of Palestinian identities • UNRWA schools vehicles for development of strong sense of Palestinian identities UNRWA school system from 1949 with intention of ‘integration’ • Pro-Jordanian curriculum by Jordan due to control of territory • Class rooms: relatively large space for Palestinian teachers to focus on Palestinian perspectives • 1993- • • • 1967-1993 New project of peace education to be launched soon Outcome: Education system part of creating oppositional identities Self Suffering of nation Nation ever present rather than in the making Used for political legitimisation Other De-humanised/de-familiarised Silencing of the other’s suffering Existence questioned or de-legitimised Socio-cultural inter-action ignored Theoretical platform: Historical dialogue through localised children’s history of everyday life History was part of problem why it also needs to be part of the ‘solution’ providing historical dialogue with aim of new political horizon(s) for future generations 1. Children are far more competent than often realised and able to develop and share views of the world and their place therein (Coady 2008) 2. Children= citizens-in-the-making = key actors in building long term reconciliation and political change (Coady 2008) 3. Imperial + local children histories for context and to rehumanise the living spaces and neighbours and show process of constructing of enemy images in older generations (building on PRIME) Imperial contexts + post-imperial inspiration Cyprus • • • • • New textbooks from Tyrkish Cypriot government on basis of desire to re-join Republic of Cyprus from 2005 (withdrawn with change of government) Nation as a process rather than ever present static category Re-humanisation of other Nationalism portrayed critically Maps without dividing lines Northern Ireland • • Multi perspective and enquiry bases textbooks Specifically designed for promoting - Caring - Critical thinking - Recognition of constructivist process - Democratic values China, South korea & Japan • New un-official history textbook from 2005 and 2011 • written by scholars and teachers from all three countries and translated • No sponsor or subsidies • Difficult issues tackled • All 3 countries presented as one community 1917-1948 • 1920s + 1930’s – Stable inter-communal relations • Palestinian Revolt, 19361939 – Intercommunal tension leads to violence + inclusion of Jewish settlers in police force – Emergence and development of enemy images • 1939-1947 – – Continued intercommunal tension and increasing separation Youth movement settlements + post-war 11 points in Negev ( ) 1948 Middle Eastern war/ Nakba/War of Independence • 220.000 urban and rural Palestinians into Gaza Strip after destruction of 45 out of 61 villages in district • Social tension challenges existing categories and relations (young old, rich-poor etc.) altered • Establishment of geographies of militarism • Militarisation of Everyday life • Enemy images reinforced with the ethnic cleansing of Palestine and the establishment of Israel 1948-1956 (I) - Overcrowded camps, poor housing and growing number of children (=> 90.000), inadequare rations + diseases - Egyptian military + police regime - Constant overflight of Israeli fighter jets + Frequent mortar attacks + raids - Israeli army kill policy (1951=>) - 10 new Jewish settlements - Emergence of revenge raids and supply raids - UN military observers suggest building of security barrier - Nassir: Formation of Palestinian Suez Unit + Border Guards + Student Union 1948-1956 (II) - Egyptian military raids and bombings (mostly as response to Israeli attacks) - Promotion of miltiarism in + negative discourse on Palestinians children’s media, litterature and board games - Blur of time of peace and war with frequent overflight of Israeli fighter jets + massive military exercisees + fortification projects by 100.000’s of people - Emergence of revenge raids and supply raids (latter often by youth gangs) - 10 new state initiated settlements with offensive architecture with soldiers, young pioneers + young couples 1956-1957 French + Israeli naval shelling and Israeli aerial bombing of Gaza Strip Thousands try to flee, but no where to go + winter Israeli Occupation: From Bad to Worse => Loss of hope of possibility return Massacres in refugee camps to locate militant infiltrators => massive trauma to already struggling children and youth 1957-1967 - Return of Egyptian Police and Palestinian Border Guards - UN military presence with 5.500 soldiers enforcing no-crossing regime ‘peacekeeping economy’ with international presence pushing up prices and egyptians buying luxury goods from Lebanon + remittances from Gulf states - Occasional hootings and arrests of palestinian adults and children in ADL zone + - UN traffic accidents - Intensifying Israeli overflights - Establishment of Fatah and deployment of armed companies in 1959 almost forced out UN forces from fear of clashes - Girls marrying younger as family means of getting extra support, but overweight of boys (Gulf remittances scheme) Phases Phase 1 • Gather interested people • Brainstorm • Develop • Plan • Workshops • Production of material or supplements if using textbook of PRIME Phase 2 • Test with participating teachers, elders and local groups of children • Evaluate • Revise • Test with participating teachers , elders and local groups of children • Evaluate • Revise Phase 3 Spread message and ‘system’ Summary/Could it work? Cyprus, Northern Ireland, China, South Korea and Japan Localised children’s histories: Mandate Palestine, Isrel, West Bank & Gaza Strip Localised children’s histories: Re-humanisation of others and their living space Re-humanisation of others and their living space Enquiry based (interpret documents, interviews, films. etc) Enquiry based (interpret documents, interviews, films. etc) Multiple simultaneous perspectives Multiple simultaneous perspectives Specifically designed for promoting Specifically designed for promoting - Caring - Caring - Critical thinking - Critical thinking - Recognition of constructivist process - Recognition of constructivist process - Democratic values - Democratic values Nations shown as processes Nations shown as processes