Beyond Intractability: A Free Knowledge Base on More Constructive Approaches to Destructive Conflict
Introduction:
Elise Boulding is known for her extensive networking among peacemakers. Here she gives advice on why and how to do it.
This rough transcript provides a text alternative to audio. We apologize for occasional errors and unintelligible sections (which are marked with ???).
Practice Networking
Elise Boulding
Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Dartmouth College and Former Secretary
General of the International Peace Research Association
Q: What advice would you give to someone who is beginning to do this kind of
work?
A: Practice networking. I know that at least from the time I was married, I had
developed a habit: Whenever I met somebody, I would categorize their interests
and where they fit into the picture of the local community. Then I began to see
people who should know each other because of their common interests, but didn't
know each other. Then I got them together. Just very simple things, like when we
had the urban renewal crisis in Ann Arbor. They were going to tear down housing
and put up fancy stuff, but without providing for the people who had been living
in them. So bringing people in to listen to each other was so important. The
practice of networking is something you get better at and better at.
We are convinced that non-violence is more powerful than violence. We are convinced that non-violence supports you if you have a just and moral cause...If you use violence, you have to sell part of yourself for that violence. -- Cesar Chavez
Other Resources from Beyond Intractability Red State/ Blue State: US Political Polarization Though US politics has long been divided along ideological lines, the last two presidential elections have created increased polarization between liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans. How did this happen? Is it good for the country? Can anything be done to reunited us?
Nobel Peace Prize Winners
Jody Williams Architect of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), and 1997 Nobel Peace Laureate
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 Campus Box 580, Boulder, CO 80309 Phone: (303) 492-1635; Fax: (303) 492-2154; Contact
