This case study aims to understand how tourism can contribute to peace, by exploring the ways in which Israeli and Palestinian tour guides negotiate boundaries in a deeply divided society, through...Show moreThis case study aims to understand how tourism can contribute to peace, by exploring the ways in which Israeli and Palestinian tour guides negotiate boundaries in a deeply divided society, through working in MEJDI’s multiple-narrative tours. Specifically, it focusses on two types of boundaries that are negotiated: the social and spatial. The interpretive thematic content analysis of 8 semi-structured and in-depth interviews with Israeli and Palestinian tour guides reveals that social and spatial boundaries are negotiated through various processes. The most prominent in the social domain are: creation of a common in-group identity, established frequent contact and friendships, development of trust, and for most an increase in understanding and legitimization of ‘the other side’. Noticeable was that the spatial boundaries were harder to negotiate, because they have been institutionalized throughout the protracted Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The participants do cross the boundaries frequently, by guiding tours to places they usually do not visit and by re-ordering mental maps of safe and unsafe places. However, the wall/fence/checkpoints remain present and those boundaries are harder to negotiate. Ultimately, these findings are discussed and placed in relation to the ‘tourism and peace nexus’, contact hypothesis, social identity theory, theories on boundaries and boundary negotiation, and aim to contribute to the question if tourism can bridge gaps and lead to peace.Show less
