Carol Daniel Kasbari, S-CAR PhD Student

In 2011, Carol Daniel Kasbari was invited to give a TEDx Talk about her work with Palestinians and Israelis. “My talk was focused in urging both people to step out of their respective comfort zones, and to engage in actions and activities that will bring conflict transformation." Carol’s message was borne out of her professional experience of working in the region for over 20 years as well as her personal background. “It is only through personal commitment, activism and collaboration that we can see a genuine sustainable peace process in the region that is based on equality, justice, and shared responsibility."

Carol joined the S-CAR community in Fall 2014 as part of the incoming PhD cohort. “After more than a decade out of school, I decided to further my education out of a desire to conduct a broader and deeper theoretical analysis that can be used to develop new frameworks of peacebuilding." Carol’s focus thus far in the program has been on the role of the media in conflict resolution. “My interest in this area comes from my long years of work with media professionals on the conflict coverage."

In 1998, Carol co-founded the Israeli Palestinian Media Forum (IPMF) to enable partnerships between both sides to emerge through productions, exchange of articles, and joint initiatives. Carol also worked to establish a similar organization in Cyprus for media professionals there to collaborate. All of this made her realize how crucial the journalist's role is in transforming the conflict and creating a new reality. Her work was supported by UNESCO for eight years and later by USAID and international NGO’s such as Search for Common Ground and Catholic Relief Services. Her widely published op-eds are an example of articles she calls "sensitive reporting." She talks about Jerusalem in a way that anyone can identify with and not argue about. Her reflections on the dialogue between conflicted parties bring hope to the reader that peace is possible if we follow the people. After completing her PhD, Carol would like to become a scholar in the field of war and media. The link to Carol's Tedx Talk, can be found at: scar.gmu.edu/articles/tedxjaffa-carol-daniel-kasbari-israel-palestine-going-beyond-dialogue-of-words