Jewish and Arab Youth Create Murals in Public Space: Community-Based Art Therapy Exploratory Research

Sharon Boaz, Michal Bat-Or

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This exploratory study examined the subjective experiences of Arab and Jewish youths in Israel who participated in one of three art-based community projects involving the creation of murals in the public space. A total of 104 youth participated in all three projects; each project included 30–44 participants, of which half were Jews and half Arabs. Qualitative data, including creative processes, completed murals, postproject, and semistructured interviews conducted with 25 participants were analyzed. Integrative thematic analysis yielded three themes: The mural as a space for meeting the “other”; nonverbal communication; and the joint art project as a potential space that may alter perceptions of the “other.” The discussion covers the possible application of this art-based model in community work with youths from conflict groups, research limitations, and suggestions for further research.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)470-479
Number of pages10
JournalPeace and Conflict
Volume28
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 23 May 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 American Psychological Association

Keywords

  • Community-based art therapy
  • Intergroup contact
  • Youth

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Political Science and International Relations

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