Academic Advancement
In the Academic Margins: Social Ostracism as an Intersection of Psychological and Sociological Causes View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Alexander Zibenberg
The majority of studies dealing with the feeling of ostracism focus on ostracism among employees in the organizational workspace and mainly take a psychological perspective. We assume sociological aspects also play a role in ostracism or its elimination. Our study examined ostracism in academic settings within neoliberal regimes, looking specifically at students in an Israel institution of higher education. First, we tested the relations between a personality trait (conscientiousness), group cohesion, and students' feelings of ostracism, recreating the results predicted in the literature. Then, we challenged these results by comparing findings for Jewish and Arab students, in the context of the continuous, intractable conflict between majority (Jews) and minority (Arabs) groups. The sample included 352 students (81% Jews; 19% Arabs). Findings showed that psychological theories provided only a partial explanation of students’ feelings of ostracism; critical sociological analysis of the members of the two groups is also required.
Social Distance, Sense of Belonging and Cultural Intelligence among Undergraduate Students from Diverse Groups View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Ronit Reuven Even Zahav
The Israeli society is diverse, consisting of various minority groups like Arabs, Russians, and Ethiopians, each differing in nationality, religion, language, and culture. These differences lead to gaps and tensions among both minority and majority populations, especially in times of socio-political turmoil. Intergroup conflict in Israel is marked by perceived social distance and limited daily interactions among these groups. Therefore, there is a need to explore the factors contributing to the improvement of intergroup relations and inclusivity in Israeli educational organizations and communities. Based on the culturally informed perspectives a quantitative study focused on cultural intelligence (CQ), willingness to develop cross-group relations (i.e. social distance conceptualized in the literature), and sense of belonging among students from diverse backgrounds. Self-report questionnaires were distributed to 168 undergraduate students. The majority and minority groups were defined by their choice of identity. The findings reveal that higher levels of CQ were linked to increased willingness for social contact with other groups and a stronger sense of belonging. Minority groups exhibited significantly lower levels of belonging compared to the majority. Arab students experienced the highest social distance perception compared to other groups. Implications: The study underscores CQ, social distance, and academic belonging as significant factors in understanding intergroup conflicts among diverse populations in socio-political context. The paper discusses the implications of these factors on intergroup relations in academic communities, highlighting the need for fostering CQ among students and staff and inclusivity of minorities from different backgrounds in educational environments.
