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


Introduction: Peter Coleman, of Columbia University, argues that people exluded from the negotiating process are likely to become "spoilers"--people who try to sabotage an agreement after it is reached.


This rough transcript provides a text alternative to audio. We apologize for occasional errors and unintelligible sections (which are marked with ???).

Who Should be at the Table?
Peter Coleman
Assistant Professor of Psychology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and Director of the International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution at Columbia
Interviewed by
Julian Portilla
2003

One example is degree of inclusivity of the parties. Some people that work in these areas believe that you've got to get as many of the stakeholders and the members of their groups to the table, engaging together as possible. Others say, it's not possible, it's not feasible, you need to work with key influencers, three influential is what Herb Kelman calls them, that level of people under First Track, who have influence in the communities, who you can transform and can become agents for a change. That decision about being exclusive or inclusive with a group is a huge decision and it has impact on the system. Because some would say, working with a exclusive group creates **spoilers, creates people who are excluded with the process and therefore become bent on sabotaging it.

 
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. -- Charles Darwin

Featured Links
Organizations Making Noteworthy Contributions to Efforts to Promote More Constructive Conflict
World Wildlife Fund
World Wildlife Fund


Other Resources from
Beyond Intractability
Web-Based Conflict Research Tutorials
Web-Based Conflict Research Tutorials

A guide to using the Web for conflict resolution research.

Nobel Peace Prize Winners

The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso

1989 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

Beyond Intractability Version IV
Copyright © 2003-2007 The Beyond Intractability Project
Beyond Intractability is a Registered Trademark of the University of Colorado
Project Acknowledgements

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
University of Colorado at Boulder