A lab for the space between groups.
Directed by Dr. Maor Shani, Senior Lecturer from October 2026. We study conflict and coexistence, contemporary antisemitism, and well-being in chronic conditions—through networks, experiments, and mixed methods.
The IEI Lab investigates the dynamics of social identity, intergroup relations, and well-being across three interconnected foci: conflict and reconciliation; antisemitism, racism, and discrimination; and health psychology in chronic conditions. We combine rigorous quantitative and qualitative methods—from SEM and social network analysis to qualitative interviews—to produce evidence that informs theory, education, and public policy.
Work developed at Osnabrück, the Hebrew University, and European collaborations now continues at Ariel under Dr. Maor Shani.
Psychological processes underlying conflict, prejudice, and interventions that foster coexistence and tolerance—especially among youth.
Contact and coexistence orientation · Inclusivity norms and polarization · Hope, collective action, and peace · School-based social network interventions
Mechanisms and psychosocial impacts of contemporary antisemitism and other forms of discrimination, centering target-group perspectives.
Antisemitism and mental health · Antisemitism accommodation · Criticism of Israel vs. prejudice · Coping, resilience, and identity
Illness identity, social support, and quality of life for people navigating chronic conditions such as celiac disease and IBD.
Celiac camps and peer support · Illness identity and flourishing · Stigma and self-compassion · Dyadic child–parent measurement
Volkswagen Stiftung (VW Foundation)
A multi-country program examining how inclusivity norms shape tolerance, contact, and cooperation amid polarization. Includes the school-based “Together for Tolerance” social-network intervention in diverse German schools, longitudinal adolescent surveys, and cross-national evidence from 12 European countries.
Multi-method research documenting the prevalence and mental-health correlates of antisemitism among Jews in Germany—before and after October 7—and adaptive versus maladaptive coping. Extends to qualitative network analyses of social support disruption and resilience pedagogies with Jewish educators (Project Ma’aneh).
Experimental and conceptual work on how institutions and bystanders enable anti-Jewish discrimination when it is framed as political neutrality—and how “litmus tests” silence Jews and allies in progressive and workplace settings. Includes studies from offender, bystander, and victim perspectives.
Longitudinal and multi-wave studies testing when criticism of Israeli policy predicts constructive engagement versus punitive boycotts—and whether antisemitism operates as a critical boundary condition for that pathway.
Schäfer, L. F., Tausch, N., Bukowski, M., Jaspers, E., Lubbers, M. J., van Zalk, M., Shani, M., … Christ, O.
PNAS Nexus
Shani, M. & Böttcher, M.
British Journal of Health Psychology, 30(4), e70027
Shani, M., Berns, M., Bergen, L., Richters, S., Krämer, K., de Lede, S., & van Zalk, M.
Social Inclusion, 13, Article 10122
Shani, M., Goldberg, D., & van Zalk, M. H.
Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1499295
Shani, M., Kunst, J. R., Anjum, G., Obaidi, M., Leshem, O. A., Antonovsky, R., van Zalk, M., & Halperin, E.
British Journal of Social Psychology, 63(3), 1357–1384
A short note on why this lab exists, what we study, and how students, collaborators, and participants can get involved as we open at Ariel University.
A research brief on institutional decisions that marginalize Jews or Israelis not from personal animus, but to appease hostile third parties.
Lessons from a social-network intervention designed to improve adolescents’ intergroup tolerance via equality-based respect.
Surveys and experiments on identity, discrimination, conflict, and health. Voluntary, confidential, ethics-approved.
Thesis supervision, research assistance, and co-authorship for students and scholars.
