History 394 - Palestine-Israel Simulations: Conflict and Peacemaking in 1936 and 2014

Conflict and Peacemaking in 1936 and 2014
In this course students will learn about the Palestine/Israel conflict by participating in two immersive simulation modules in which they represent the positions of various parties to the conflict. In the first module, “The Struggle for Palestine 1936,” students representing the Palestinian Arabs and Zionist movement submit testimony to the British ‘Peel Commission’ regarding their respective needs and demands as they saw them at the time. This module will highlight the origins of the conflict, the role of the British during the Mandate period, and the ways in which the conflict evolved on the ground from the early 1900s to the late-1930s. In the second module student delegations will examine a key moment in 2014, the last serious attempt to reach a two-state solution. They will represent Palestinian, Israel and U.S. negotiators and attempt to address some of the key ‘final status’ issues. These simulations are neither attempts at conflict resolution nor at finding an artificial middle ground between two asymmetric parties. They do not follow a "Model UN" or debate format. Rather, they are deep dives into the most difficult and intractable issues, from the perspectives of those who have lived through them. Students will be asked to push beyond their comfort zones to develop an astute understanding of history and the political, strategic, and psychological underpinnings of the conflict. They will engage in dynamic teamwork and be supported by the instructors as well as external coaches.

Meets twice per week. Fall semester. Co-taught by Natasha Gill and Ahmad Khalidi. 
 

How to handle overenrollment: Students will be randomly selected.

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: This course requires regular attendance and a high degree of in-class participation. Approximately 70% of the course will consist of the simulation modules, with the rest of the time being preparation and debrief sessions. During the simulations students will engage in dynamic teamwork, deliver oral presentations and engage in negotiations and mediation processes. Papers will take the form of historically accurate memos, testimonials, political analyses, newspaper articles, negotiated documents. In addition to coursework, there are five principal expectations for this class: Discretion and trust Due to the sensitive nature of this topic and the high tensions around it, we ask that students keep to strict rules of confidentiality and conduct within the group. This means that students refrain from sharing what peers have said in class or in the simulation with anyone outside class, unless consent is given. No part of the process should be recorded by audio or video or posted on social media or other online platforms. Written materials are under copyright and may not be shared with anyone outside the class, either online or as hard copies. Respect for Each other and space for communication We expect students, professors and visiting speakers to respect the rights of all participants in the class to express their views without being silenced or shamed. We offer extensive office hours and are available to communicate with students at any point in the course, should they feel any difficulty whatsoever in engaging in the process or communicating with peers. Pushing beyond comfort zones Students should expect to push beyond their comfort zones, sometimes even against their inclinations and beliefs, to engage with this difficult subject. The simulation does not sanitize the conflict – it presents the real issues from the perspective of the actual parties, which means some perspectives may be appealing to students and others may be objectionable. While this is challenging, students should feel confident that personal one-on-one support is available from both instructors throughout the module, and the process has clear boundaries and an elaborate structure that draws students away from any conflictual perspective based on their own personal views. Class Participation While the preparatory period includes typical class discussions/questions around the readings, class participation is special in this module because takes a different form during the simulations. Students each have a particular role with its own set of readings and objectives in relation to their goals and those of their delegations. They will be making a variety of oral presentations: some will be prepared at home and others will arise spontaneously during the course of the module. Students will be expected represent whichever role they take on with integrity, responding to debates by putting forward ideas that authentically reflect their character. Teamwork In an extended, multi-week simulation, students rely on each other a great deal for support, for three reasons: 1) each student holds a different “portfolio” and a cogent team position can only be devised if individuals combine their knowledge; 2) the simulation takes many twists and turns and participants need to be present as much as possible to respond to these; 3) delegation members will need consistent support thinking through morally and intellectually challenging issues.