Identity work in Palestinian-Jewish intergroup encounters: A cultural rhetorical analysis

On the basis of data collected during a study of a university course dealing with intergroup Palestinian-Jewish encounters in Israel, this article uses a rhetorical cultural analytical approach to show how participants in the dialogue accomplish their group’s identity and enact the conflicts which characterize their group’s relationships. I also show that when working toward such accomplishments the interactants resist and reject other possible identification options which become available in the encounter. The events described point at the dominant influence and the hegemonizing power of national ideologies and contribute to a better understanding of the actual communicational practices which hinder crosscultural encounters in conflict ridden societies.