Intergroup Dialogue as a Just Dialogue: Challenging and Preventing Normalization in Campus Dialogues

The tensions from the Israeli occupation of Palestine reach around the globe and heated debates over the struggles of these two peoples are evident on U.S. college campuses. The power imbalance represented in the relationship between Palestinians and Israelis is replicated on college campuses. BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) is a response to this inequality, is a movement to end the occupation, and has raised the issue of normalization. Teaching about this conflict presents particular challenges for faculty who negotiate this highly contested issue in classrooms or campus communities, and intergroup dialogue is an important pedagogy that can be used. It is critical to address normalization in intergroup dialogue. We discuss examples and themes of normalization in intergroup dialogue, and present pedagogical and other strategies to prevent and address normalization in intergroup dialogue and in other similar intergroup contact approaches with Arab or Palestinian and Jewish or Israeli participants.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/116007/1/dome12067.pd

Relationship Transformation between Israeli Settlers and West Bank Palestinians: The Case of "Roots"

Against the background of on-going research on the impact of Israeli-Palestinian inter-religious dialogue for conflict resolution efforts; the authors here present a preliminary assessment of the impact and dynamics of a relatively new Israeli-Palestinian initiative known as “Roots”. It is unique in that it has provided a framework for cooperation and relationship transformation to occur between Israeli settlers and neighboring West Bank Palestinians. This paper will present an initial evaluation, concerning the background, strategic approach, impact, and challenges facing this organization in the context of relevant conflict resolution theories

Identification and characterization of a Carlavirus causing veinal necrosis of Coleus

A filamentous virus identified in coleus (Coleus × hybrida) in Minnesota and New York was found to cause veinal necrosis in coleus, although this symptom was observed only under certain conditions. The virus was transmitted readily by mechanical inoculation to coleus and Nicotiana spp. and was not transmitted by Myzus persicae. The particles of the coleus virus had a modal length of 640 nm and a single capsid protein with an estimated molecular mass of 34 kDa. The amino acid sequence of the coat protein region of the coleus virus genome had significant similarities only to the corresponding domain of carlaviruses. Based on virion morphology, capsid protein size, genome size and organization, amino acid sequence, and phylogenetic analyses, the coleus virus, which was named provisionally Coleus vein necrosis virus (CVNV), was concluded to be a new definitive member of the genus Carlavirus. A 2-kb fragment of the 3′ terminus of the CVNV genome sequence is accessible under accession number DQ915963 in GenBank

Sugarcane mild mosaic virus: The rediscovery of an identified but unrecognized virus

International audienceThe complete genome sequence of a previously uncharacterized sugarcane-infecting virus of the genus Ampelovirus was obtained by high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends. This genome consists of 13,114 nucleotides (nt) and harbours seven open reading frames. Phylogenetic and pairwise identity analyses with the complete or near-complete genome sequences of 16 isolates revealed that they all belong to a new Ampelovirus species, family Closteroviridae. These 16 isolates were distributed in three phylogenetic groups and potential recombinant events were identified for only one of these isolates. An immunocapture-reverse transcription-PCR (IC-RT-PCR) assay was developed with antibodies previously produced against a clostero-like virus that had not yet been recognized by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses but for which the name sugarcane mild mosaic virus (SCMMV) had been proposed. The new ampelovirus was detected by IC-RT-PCR, and Sanger-sequenced amplicons confirmed the identity of the virus based on HTS data. SCMMV was detected in 65 of 350 samples of quarantined sugarcane germplasm using RT-PCR targeting the hsp70 gene. These samples originated from Africa, the Caribbean, North America, South America and South-east Asia, thus revealing that SCMMV is present in many sugarcane-growing regions of the world. The complete or near-complete sequences reported here represent the first genomic sequences for SCMMV. Furthermore, the newly developed RT-PCR diagnostic assay will facilitate the understanding of SCMMV epidemiology and will help improve management practices