Paul Scham's Page

What motivated you (or your organization) to become involved in peace and conflict resolution?

Having practiced law for a number of years, I found that resolving conflicts, rather than exacerbating the, was infinitely more fulfilling.

Please feel free to provide a short bio about yourself or the work of your organization (no more than 3 paragraphs)

I am currently an Adjunct Scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C. Previously, I attended graduate school in history and earned a law degree but for the last fifteen years has been working on various aspects of Israeli-Palestinian understanding, both in the U.S. and in Israel, in NGO’s, academic and policy institutions.

In 1989, I set up the Washington Office of Americans for Peace Now, representing the Israeli peace movement, and was its first Washington Representative. Subsequently I moved to Jerusalem and became a Research Fellow at the Truman Institute for the Advancement of Peace of Hebrew University, working for six years on a large number of Israeli-Palestinian research and civil society projects.

My primary focus for the last few years has been on the importance of dealing with the historical narratives of the two sides as a tool, not only an obstacle, in creating peace. My book Shared Histories: A Palestinian-Israeli Dialogue (co-edited with Walid Salem and Benjamin Pogrund), appeared in 2005, and I’m finishing a second book. In addition, I write, teach, and lecture on various aspect of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and its history, as well as wider strategic issues in the Middle East.

Please list the countries and/or regions in which you (or your organization) have direct and significant expertise

Israel, Palestine, Jordan

What is your current country of residence (or location of your organization)?

USA

What is your current job (and organization) and/or where and what field are you studying?

Adjunct Scholar, Middle East Institute

What is one of your favorite websites in the field? (please provide one answer per box)

http://www.bitterlemons.org

Which are your primary sectoral areas of expertise (or the primary sectoral areas of your organization) ?

Alternative Dispute Resolution, Peacebuilding, Conflict Resolution, Education, Civil Society

Which are your primary skills areas(or the primary skill areas of your organization)?

Training, Program Design, Fundraising, Advocacy, Research

What are some of your current areas of research (if any)?

Use of historical narratives of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in peacemaking.

Regional implications of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Different perspectives on Islamism

Attitudes of the Muslim-American community towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Use of the Islamic concepts of Hudna/Tahdiyah in peacemaking

If appropriate feel free to list several of your (or your organization's) publications

• Lake Success” and Annapolis: Completing the Circle? Common Ground News Service, Dec. 13-19, 2007 (Middle East). www.commongroundnews.org/
• MEI Policy Brief, Annapolis, Nov. 2007: Hopes & Doubts. http://www.mideasti.org/files/Annapolis-November-2007-Hopes-and-Dou...
• The Historical Narratives of Israelis and Palestinians and the Peacemaking Process. Israel Studies Forum , Vol. 20, No. 2 (November 2006)
• Historical Narratives and Peacemaking. Bitterlemons, Sept. 4, 2006. http://www.bitterlemons.org/previous/bl040906ed35.html
• Paul Scham, Walid Salem, Benjamin Pogrund. Shared Histories: A Palestinian-Israeli Dialogue. (Left Coast Press, 2005.)