Application of Paulo Freire's Critical Pedagogy Principles to the Jewish–Arab Interface in Israel: Dialog, Awareness, and Identity.

This article examines the application of Paulo Freire's critical pedagogy, particularly his dialogic teaching approach, to educational encounters between Jews and Arabs in Israel, a context not previously explored in the literature. It argues that Freirean dialog, which emphasizes awareness of social and political realities and power relations rather than psychological comfort, is more effective than traditional contact hypothesis models in facilitating meaningful dialogue between groups in conflict. The author describes the development and implementation of a School for Peace model in Neve Shalom, where mediators guide mixed Jewish-Arab groups through critical discussions that connect personal experiences to broader theories of oppression and identity. The approach aims to deepen participants' awareness of the conflict, sharpen their identities, and empower both groups to reflect on their roles, with outcomes including humanization of the "other" and increased political consciousness. The article highlights the challenges and complexities of applying Freirean pedagogy in a national conflict setting and suggests its potential relevance for other ethnic conflicts worldwide.