Sociolinguistic aspects of integrating within the space of the ‘Other’: the case of Arab students in Jewish schools

Israel, a multilingual and multicultural society, has an indigenous Arab minority distinguished from the Jewish majority by national, religious, cultural, and linguistic characteristics. Jews and Arabs live mostly in different geographical locales and education systems are also split. In recent years, the number of Arab students attending Jewish schools has increased significantly. Using mixed methods, we examined the question of how, and to what extent, does the integration of Arab adolescents in Jewish schools affect their identity construction, their attitudes toward Hebrew and Arabic, and the maintenance of other cultural and religious characteristics. We explored this from both the parents’ and the students’ perspectives. Findings pointed to the complexity of this experience, including its psychological advantages, the social-emotional challenges involved, and the significant role of teachers. By shedding light on these processes, this study may help to reformulate policy to decrease conflict levels between the groups, and promote intergroup solidarity.