the olive tree initiative: experiential learning and
TRANSCRIPT
The Olive Tree Initiative:
Experiential Learning and Teaching
About Intractable Conflict
Daniel Wehrenfennig, PH.D., Executive Director, Olive Tree Initiative &
Program in Conflict Analysis and Resolution, University of California, Irvine
Personal Research
- Comparative study of the Israeli-Palestinian and
Northern Ireland conflict and peace process
- Important role of citizen dialogue/discourse
- Key role of diaspora universities to provide the space to bring people/groups together and encouragenarrative appreciation/exchange
Campus Climate
- Tensions on campuses around Israeli-Palestinian
issues in the University of California system and especially at UC Irvine
- Lack of classes or educational opportunities to study the issues
- Interest of student leaders to engage the issues more educational
Travel Study Interest
- Growing academic interest in study abroad and
experiential learning (out of the class-room learning)
- Realization by some in the administration that “just” defending freedom of speech is not enough and to support student initiatives
- Community support to help with financial means and contacts
Olive Tree Initiative- Founded in 2007 at UC Irvine, now at 12 chapters nationally and internationally (U.K.)
- Institutionalized through academic programs at participating campuses
- Over 600 program alumni and very active alumni networking
- Operating programs in the Middle East, South Caucasus, Kashmir and other region ( Northern Ireland, Colombia) plus in the U.S. (race-relations)
OTI’s 3 Part Educational Model
Dialogue/Discourse Skills
Narrative Appreciation combined with Study Abroad
Leadership Development
Conflict as a Space for Learning
Dialogue Skills
Contact Theory
Diverse students working towards common goal [from operational to personal dialogue]
Active listening
Mediation techniques
Engaged discussion
Critical self-introspection
Dialogue/Discourse TheoryField Author(s) Concept/Theory
Communication Sherif&Sherif 1953, Allport 1954Habermas 1998Risse 2000
Contact Hypothesis
Communicative Action Better Argument
Neo-Colonialism Talal Asad, Tzvetan Todorov, Edward Said
Creation and Recreation of “Otherness”
Social Psychology
Rothman 1997,Carstarphen 2003
Psychological Shifts
Regime and Network Studies
Wapner 1996Adler and Barnett 1998Keck and Sikkink 1998
Global Civil Society Security Communities Transnational Advocacy
Technology Studies
Barabasi 2003, Bollier 2003
Linkages
Conflict Resolution
Zartman and Rubin 2000 Fisher 1997 Galtung 2004
Negotiation TheoryInteractive Conflict Resolution, Transcend
Narrative Appreciation
Multi-medium classroom learning History, biography, documentaries, film, fiction,
policy documents, current events
Short-term travel to region Meeting with speakers from all parts of spectrum Sensorial engagement with conflict Emotional and intellectual engagement with people living the conflict
Narrative Appreciation Theory
Public Peace Process (Saunders 1999, 2005)- sustainable dialogue and citizen participation
Multi-Track Diplomacy (Diamond & McDonald 1996)- strategic use of different interest to dialogue
Peace Infrastructure (Lederach 1997, 2008)- importance of networking and leadership
Crisis Communication/Citizen Dialogue (Broome & Jakobsson Hatay 2006)
- learning through difficult conversations
Leadership Development
Mentoring
Recruitment + teaching next cohort
Community engagement
Honing transferable skills set
Applying skills in alternative contexts
Alumni engagement and network
Leadership Development Theory
and Application
Workforce Readiness- Conflict resolution as key skill for employers
Civic Engagement - Importance of dialogue skills for active
citizenship and political maturity
Leadership Experience- Mobilization through experience
What have we learned in 11
years of OTI
- Importance of personal experience in effective
connection with text-book learning
- Changes in campus climate and student engagement levels regarding the areas we study
- Importance of our model and the need for spaces to have difficult conversation (“conflict fitness”)
- Transferability of model to other regions (South Caucasus, Kashmir) and issues (U.S. race-relations)
Time for Questions
“There comes a point in our lives when we realize the issues we study don’t exist in the abstract but they have a reality associated with them, and that really begins when we begin our career and we have to start acting on the challenges that we’ve been studying for years. I think the first moment when you switch from abstraction to reality is a very powerful one. For a lot of students, OTI is that moment.”
Megan Braun, OTI 2011, Rhodes Scholar, Law Student, Yale University
For more information please visit: www.olivetreeinitiative.org