Immigrant Arabs and immigrant Jews in Montreal : their social interaction and attitudes toward the Arab-Israeli conflict

Abstract

This study is an attempt to explore the social interaction of immigrant Arabs and immigrant Jews in Montreal and their attitudes toward the Arab-Israeli conflict. It examines the relationship between religiosity, friendship, and attitudes toward the conflict. As well, the thesis studies whether there is a change in immigrant Arabs' and immigrant Jews' attitudes toward the conflict and level of social interaction after immigrating to Canada. I have conducted face-to-face interviews with immigrant Arabs and immigrant Jews to obtain my data. The findings reveal that the influence of religiosity on the attitudes toward the conflict is stronger than its influence on friendship. The results also show that friendship influences on immigrant Arabs and immigrant Jews' attitudes toward the conflict. The findings indicate that the tendency for immigrant to keep the same attitudes toward the conflict is higher than the tendency to change the attitudes toward the conflict after immigration. The results vary depending on ethnicity.