Amid rising global tensions, fostering understanding and reducing prejudice between diverse community groups has become imperative. The Israel-Palestine conflict, with its deep-rooted historical and cultural complexities, has not only strained relations on a geopolitical scale but has also extended its reverberations into diaspora communities, notably affecting relationships between Black and Jewish communities in the US. This study addresses these multifaceted challenges through innovative, empirically backed interventions that not only bridge divides but also adapt our understanding of intergroup processes to the digital era’s complexities.
The Project:
This research, led by Dr. Avriel Epps and conducted with community partners The Skirball Cultural Center and Patrisse Cullors, explores how Black, Jewish, and Black Jewish community leaders in Los Angeles experience and address issues related to anti-Semitism, Zionism, and anti-Black racism within their communities both online and offline. This study aims to understand the personal challenges and perspectives of these leaders and their experiences participating in a year-long dialogue between the communities. Additionally, the research examines how their interactions on social media and the algorithmic recommendations they encounter online influence and are influenced by their views and feelings towards Black and Jewish community relations. This study seeks to provide insights that could foster understanding and cooperation between these communities and advance our understanding of the intricate digital processes at play in intergroup understanding and biases during times of political conflict.
The Rita Allen Foundation and The Skirball Cultural Center fund this project.