Communication

Beyond Intractability: A Free Knowledge Base on More Constructive Approaches to Destructive Conflict

Communication

	Interpersonal / Small-Scale Communication Robert Quillen wrote, "Discussion is an exchange of knowledge; argument an exchange of emotion." These resources explain why interpersonal communication breaks down and how to make it more effective.
	Channels of Communication In escalated conflicts, parties often cease communicating altogether, or they ignore each other, assuming the other is biased or simply wrong. Opening channels of communication is an important first step in conflict management or resolution.
	Misunderstandings Normal conversations almost always involve miscommunication, but conflict seems to worsen the problem. Even if the misunderstandings do not cause conflict, they can escalate it rapidly once it starts.
	Creating Safe Spaces for Communication Constructive communication between parties is often facilitated by creating a "safe space" for such communication. This essay describes what such spaces are, how they are useful, and how they can be established.
	Dialogue In dialogue, the intention is not to advocate but to inquire; not to argue but to explore; not to convince but to discover. This essay introduces the concept of dialogue, discusses why it is needed, and suggests ways to do it effectively.
	Narratives and Story-Telling Stories have been vital to all cultures throughout history. Recently, they have been purposefully employed as tools to promote empathy between adversaries and to help people heal from past trauma.
	Conversation as a Tool of Conflict Transformation This essay examines the power of interpersonal conversation in helping people develop positive relationships and transform their conflicts. It discusses the general theory of conversation, while the companion case study on Zimbabwe explores how the ideas discussed in this essay have been applied to a real-world situation.
	Empathic Listening Richard Salem writes, "I spent long hours learning to read and write and even had classroom training in public speaking, but I never had a lesson in listening or thought of listening as a learnable skill until I entered the world of mediation as an adult."
	I-Messages and You-Messages I-messages can be a useful tool for defusing interpersonal conflict. This essay describes how they can be used, their benefits, and their problems.
	Escalation-Limiting Language A wrong word or misunderstanding during a conflict is like gasoline on a fire. De-escalating arguments requires awareness and self-control.
	Communication Tools for Understanding Cultural Differences Edward T. Hall writes that for us to understand each other may mean, "reorganizing [our] thinking...and few people are willing to risk such a radical move." This essay offers strategies for improving cross-cultural communication.
	Cross-Cultural Communication Even with all the good will in the world, miscommunication is likely to happen, especially when there are significant cultural differences between communicators. Miscommunication may lead to conflict, or aggravate conflict that already exists.
	Metaphors Metaphors represent a way of communicating that brings ideas to life and often crosses cultural boundaries to communicate complex ideas in clear and easily understandable ways. Metaphors also lead to new ways of thinking about problems that might not have been seen with a more literal description.
	Rumor Control Rumors spread quickly in escalated conflicts. Here are strategies to slow or stop this process.
	Media Both journalists and conflict resolution practitioners are just starting to explore the relationship between mass media and conflict. These articles trace the evolution of this theory.

There is no time left for anything but to make peace work a dimension of our every waking activity. -- Elise Boulding

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Beyond Intractability Version IV
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The Beyond Intractability Knowledge Base Project
Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess, Co-Directors and Editors
c/o Conflict Information Consortium (Formerly Conflict Research Consortium), University of Colorado
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