ABSTRACT

The reactions of learners who read literature together in multicultural groups shed light on how their interpretations are interweaved in the sociopolitical context. The present study describes such dynamics in mixed Arab-Jewish teacher groups in Israel. The study’s raw data were group discourse transcripts, group and individual written comments and interviews. These data were analyzed using qualitative approaches with reference to Levinas’ ethical approach to the Other. The findings suggest that despite willingness to talk and share feelings on various issues, the participants find it difficult to see the Others, and acknowledge responsibility for them. Minority political opinions are silenced or blurred in the group discourse, and excluded from the group texts to avoid public disputes, but they resurface in the individual writings. The findings are significant for understanding learning/teaching processes in academic multicultural contexts and call lecturers’ attention to the complexity of ethical reading in a conflictual reality.

摘要

在多元文化群体中一起阅读文学的学习者的反应揭示了他们的解释如何在社会政治背景下交织在一起。本研究描述了以色列阿拉伯-犹太混合教师群体的这种动态。该研究的原始数据是小组讨论记录、小组和个人书面评论和访谈。参考列维纳斯对他者的伦理方法，使用定性方法分析这些数据。调查结果表明，尽管愿意就各种问题进行交谈和分享感受，但参与者发现很难看到其他人，并承认对他们负责。少数政治观点在群体话语中被压制或模糊，并被排除在群体文本之外以避免公共争议，但它们在个人著作中重新出现。