AbstractsSociology

The present study focuses on the conflict between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and the role of Dominican teachers as change agents. The work aims to 1) investigate whether Dominican teachers intend to try to improve the relationship between Haiti and the Dominican Republic through their jobs as teachers, and 2) explore possible predictors of this intention. By achieving these objectives, the study seeks to provide a basis for conflict reducing interventions through the Dominican educational system. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was taken as a conceptual framework for the research, but the TPB model was extended by adding the variables moral norm, descriptive norm and national identification. In addition, context specific variables related to the conservative Dominican discourse on national identity were included. The data collection consisted of a pilot study and a survey, which was completed by 349 teachers in Santo Domingo. The regression analysis based on the results of the questionnaire shows that the extended TPB model explains 66 % of the variance in teachers intention, with moral norm coming out as the strongest predictor, but with the context specific variables adding only marginally to the model s explanatory power. In general the teachers show a slightly positive intention to improve the relationship between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, but they only partly reject the conservative discourse on Dominican national identity. The results are interpreted in light of a proposed process of social change in Dominican society, and discussed in relation to Social Dominance Theory s perspective on occupational groups and developments within the field of prejudice research. Key words: TPB, Dominican Republic, intergroup conflicts, teachers, national identity, prejudice research, Social Dominance Theory.