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


Democracy and Conflict Management




In the U.S.

Democratic processes are, in effect, one form of conflict management, where decisions are made by the electoral, legislative, and judicial processes. Two project participants discuss the importance of these processes, and observe problems that seem to be arising in American democracy.

Laura Chasin suggests that the degeneration of public discourse poses a threat to democracy.

Frank Dukes talks about the importance of public participation in conflict resolution processes.


In Post-Conflict Situations

Issues of democracy and conflict management are quite different in newly-forming democracies, as the following comments illustrate.

Terrence Lyons suggests that in post-conflict settings, there are risks associated both with premature elections and with waiting too long to hold elections.

Ray Shonholtz describes how his organization, Partners for Democratic Change, works to help newly-establishing democracies.

Terrence Lyons talks about the tension between maintaining stability and addressing past injustice in post-conflict reconstruction and democratization processes.

Ozell Sutton discusses the nature of power and authority.
This rough transcript provides a text alternative to audio. We apologize for occasional errors and unintelligible sections (which are marked with ???).

 
No matter how big a nation is, it is no stronger that its weakest people, and as long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold him down, so it means you cannot soar as you might otherwise. -- Marian Anderson

Featured Links
Organizations Making Noteworthy Contributions to Efforts to Promote More Constructive Conflict
RISEPAK
Relief Information System for Earthquakes-Pakistan (RISEPAK)


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Beyond Intractability
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Nobel Peace Prize Winners

Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadi

Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 "for her efforts for democracy and human rights. She has focused especially on the struggle for the rights of women and children."

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The Beyond Intractability Knowledge Base Project
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