Politics/International Relations: Making Peace – Conflict Resolution in Israel and Palestine with Dr James Vaughan from Aberystwyth University

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Well before the recent conflict in Gaza, the Israel-Palestine conflict had been established as one of the most intractable, high-profile, and emotive conflicts of the post-World War II era. The dispute presents hugely complex problems for 21st century leaders and diplomats. It has expanded far beyond the immediate concerns of Israelis and Palestinians to become a wider regional and international concern, drawing in additional actors from the Middle East to the United States, as well as the United Nations, NGOs, and activists and campaigners from around the world.

In this workshop we will discuss the nature of the conflict and why it has been so difficult to resolve before exploring possible solutions and imaginative policy responses to core issues and stumbling blocks. Does peace lie in the division of the territory into separate Israeli and Palestinian states? Alternatively, is a single state encompassing both Israelis and Palestinians politically viable and what might such a state look like in practice? How can peacemakers address key problems like the status of Jerusalem, the question of Israeli settlements, the right of return for Palestinian refugees, the security challenges presented by radicalisation, violence, and terrorism, as well as practical issues of post-conflict reconstruction and economic development?

Can you find the answers that will enable alternative, better futures for the peoples of the region?

Lecturer Profile: Dr James Vaughan is Lecturer in International Politics in the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University. James will be supported during the session by Dr Charalampos Efstathopoulos, also from the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth.

Our events are designed so that a group of students can take part from a classroom, or students and teachers can take part as individuals, either from school or from home. There is no charge to take part.

As a live, participative event, this session will not be recorded but slides and other resources will be shared after the event, where available.

Suitable for: Aged 16+ pre-university students studying or with an interest in studying Politics, International Relations, Geography and related subjects. Teachers and members of school staff, as always, are welcome too and participants can join as individuals from school/college or home, or as a group from school/college.

Preparation/Pre-Reading: Students may wish to consider the topic and discuss some of the key elements in advance. Students can also think about questions they have about studying at university level.

The IT Setup: The event will be run on Zoom and participants will be able to join using laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. If you are joining as a school group, we recommend connecting with one device and projecting on to a whiteboard. You will be able to interact with the university via a microphone and/or typed comments and questions. Full details will be sent to those who have registered (see below) prior to the event.

Booking a Place: This is free for schools and colleges. If you would like to take part in this event, please register your interest using the link to the registration form below:

Register here