International Course: Civil Society Activities Promoting Co-Existence, Peace and Shared Society in Israel

The Center for the Study of Civil Society and Philanthropy in Israel, in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy & Practice, offers a unique opportunity to experience the challenges and complexities of co-existence in Israel.

The course focuses on nonprofit organizations operating within Israeli civil society, who deal with issues related to co-existence and to the protection and advancement of the civil and social rights of different populations, with an emphasis on the Arab-Palestinian population in Israel. The activities of these organizations include educational and social services programs, community work and advocacy activities aimed towards creating an arena for dialogue and the promotion of co-existence among the different populations in Israeli and Arab societies within Israel. 

The nonprofit sector is one of the largest in the world in terms of the amount of organizations per capita, the size of organizations' activities and the variety of fields covered. In the past decade, the number of organizations, including nonprofits, social enterprises and philanthropic foundations, dealing with issues related to co-existence in Israel has been growing. 

This course intends to introduce students to the key issues of co-existence as they are dealt with civil society in Israel, enabling studings to learn about the challenges faced by the people and the organizations who promote co-exsitence and shared society. Through a series of lectures, reading material and meetings with activists, nonprofit and community leaders, and even professional experts, students are exposed to a wide variety of narratives and perspespectives- some conflicting. They will learn how these narratives are used to sustain conflict, and the steps being taken by nonprofit organizations and civil society to overcome this conflict. Our objectives to to help students gain a broader understanding of co-existence and shared society in Israel.