Integration, culture, and trust: A case study of minority integration in Israeli academy

ABSTRACT

This study examined the effects of joint academic study involving minority students from the Bedouin population in Israel with the general population on out-group and in-group trust. Using a modified version of the trust game as a serial game with complete information and 135 students from both populations in a joint academic programme, we found that the level of trust of the Bedouin students towards the general population decreases over time, despite their having assimilated into this group. We discuss the theoretical explanations and implications of this result, along with practical recommendations for introducing complementary steps to enhance trust over time between the two populations. The latter includes creating more social and academic encounters between the groups and offering better incentives for cross-sector collaboration. This study is the first to examine the development of trust over time in academia between different ethnic groups while the groups are in national conflict.

KEYWORDS:

• Integration
• trust
• minority
• academy
• education
• students

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author [R.B.] upon reasonable request.

Notes

1 The significance of the difference in the SD of proposals given (analysis of variance) was also examined and no significant difference was found in the distribution of proposals that indicate the level of trust in relation to the various groups and over time.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ran Ben-Malka

Dr. Ran Ben-Malka is a senior lecturer at Sapir Academic College in the Department of Applied Economics. Dr. Ben-Malka earned his Ph.D. in economics in 2016 from the Department of Economics at Ben-Gurion University. Currently, his research interests are behavioral economics, tourism economics, and the Israeli economy.

Sharon Hadad

Dr. Sharon Hadad is a senior lecturer at Sapir Academic College, and he is the head of the Applied Economics Department. Dr. Hadad earned his Ph.D. in economics in 2010 from the Department of Economics at Ben-Gurion University. Currently, his research interests are behavioral economics, small business economics, and entrepreneurship and innovation.

Reut Megidish

Dr. Reut Megidish is a senior lecturer at Sapir Academic College in the Department of Applied Economics and Human Resources Management Department. Dr. Megidish earned her Ph.D. in economics in 2012 from the Department of Economics at Ben-Gurion University. Her main areas of research are game theory, all-pay competitions, decision-making, contest theory and innovation.