Uncertain Peace: An Autoethnographic Analysis of Intrapersonal Conflicts from Chabad-Lubavitch Origins

• Main Author: Silverman, Yehuda
• Format: Others
• Published: NSUWorks 2017
• Subjects: Autoethnography; Chabad; Chabad-Lubavitch; Culture; Intrapersonal Conflict; Lubavitch; Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Online Access: http://nsuworks.nova.edu/shss_dcar_etd/71; http://nsuworks.nova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1070&context=shss_dcar_etd

This research focused on a micro-analysis of intrapersonal conflicts that originated from an upbringing of Chabad-Lubavitch, a spiritual branch of Judaism. The cultural stress and uncertainty of how to be labeled within a Chabad-Lubavitch framework is also explored from an insider’s perspective through autoethnography, which provided unrestricted access to intrapersonal conflicts, and reduced the risk of psychologically harming other Lubavitchers. Field theory, human needs theory, uncertainty-identity theory, culture-stress theory, and communication accommodation theory provided an interdisciplinary theoretical foundation to analyze the manifested intrapersonal conflicts. The collected data consisted of culture and family diagrams, recorded intrapersonal conflicts, archival materials, and a supplementary reflexive journal. This analytical autoethnography expands social science research through the data analysis and findings, which discusses how originating from a culture of Chabad-Lubavitch has impacted the past, present, and potential future of intrapersonal conflicts. Cultural customs, private and public life perceptions, historical trauma, and environmental stressors were noted as significant factors that contributed to intrapersonal conflicts. The recommendations of this study include possible approaches to reframing intrapersonal conflict that may contribute to cultivating internal peace for members of this community experiencing cultural stress.