Academic Partnerships - מוקד פריז לחברה משותפת

Academic Partnerships

How can a shared society be built under conditions of enduring difference, tension, and disagreement?

The Frieze Center for Shared Society invites scholars in Israel and around the world to join a process of reflection and research collaboration around this question.

We seek to create an international academic community connecting researchers from different disciplines and enabling the joint development of new knowledge, research initiatives, and long-term collaborations.

Network Areas of Focus

Opportunities for Collaboration

We invite scholars from around the world to contact us, learn about our areas of activity, and in particular follow the initiatives that will be published on this page, in order to explore opportunities for collaboration, joint research proposals, and participation in projects under the Horizon Europe program.

This page will periodically feature new research initiatives and opportunities for collaboration. We invite you to follow our work, stay informed, and contact us at friezec@univ.haifa.ac.il.

First Pilot

As an initial step, the Frieze Center will develop a pilot initiative based on Dr. Haneen Karawani-Khoury’s research on diversity. The pilot will serve as a starting point for building an international network of researchers, forming an initial research group, and exploring future directions for activity

Our Courses

Identity and Belonging in a Multicultural Society – Dr. Mirit Hayavi Barak

This course examines how identity and belonging are formed in a multicultural society, considering both the individual and groups and the relations among them.

The course moves from the individual to society: it begins by examining processes of self-construction through socialization and interaction, and then considers the formation of groups, social boundaries, conflicts, and intergroup encounters. It explores different approaches to managing cultural diversity and examines the tensions among personal identity, group identity, and social belonging.

The course then considers processes of recognition, inequality, and privilege as part of a broader web of intergroup relations, and concludes by examining the possibility of building a shared society – a society in which different groups live together through mutual recognition, participation, and cooperation.

Managing Conflict and Diversity in Israeli Society – Dr. Assaf Turgeman

The course surveys the principal cleavages in Israeli society by tracing their roots in Israeli social and political life. It addresses the Jewish – Arab conflict, the religious – secular divide, ethnic cleavages, and the constitutional revolution and its implications for contemporary political divisions.

Skills for Managing Diversity and Conflict across Life Domains – Dr. Ran Kuttner

This course develops skills for managing difference and conflicts arising from difference across multiple settings – from the interpersonal level, through the intergroup level, to the national level. Participants will acquire tools for collaborative dialogue, negotiation, and conflict management, while becoming familiar with the theories underlying the approaches studied. The course will also examine how these approaches can support constructive management of disputes surrounding social cleavages and polarization that undermine cohesion and resilience in different arenas in Israel. Accordingly, participants will acquire both conceptual frameworks and practical skills for action in the social sphere.

The course is reflective in character and, from its outset, invites students to examine how the material challenges their own assumptions and leadership practices, how they might wish to apply it in their personal lives, and what obstacles may stand in the way.

Practical Strategies for Engaging with Diversity in Israeli Society – Dr. David Barak-Gorodetsky

The course offers an in-depth examination of the political and social tensions between conservatives and liberals in Israel, while providing a practical toolkit for conducting dialogue in conditions of disagreement. The theoretical component explores the roots of polarization, focusing on the central role of religion and state, their influence on public policy, and the historical analysis of political strategies and case studies that have shaped Israeli society. This foundation supports the practical component, in which participants practice and acquire skills in deep listening, managing complex dialogue, and recognizing different perspectives. By combining academic analysis with experiential learning and simulations, the course develops the capacity for respectful and meaningful dialogue in situations of disagreement and provides practical tools for building trust and reducing tensions across identity-based, cultural, and political divides.