Beyond Intractability: A Free Knowledge Base on More Constructive Approaches to Destructive Conflict
Introduction:
While some mediators
advocate for lowering parties' expectations (Frank Blechman), others advocate
for raising aspirations (Paul Wehr). Frank Dukes of the Institute for
Environmental Negotiation at the University of Virginia weighs in on the issue
with an inspirational note.
This rough transcript provides a text alternative to audio. We apologize for occasional errors and unintelligible sections (which are marked with ???).
Positive Outlook on People
Frank Dukes
Director, Institute for Environmental Negotiation, University of Virginia
... Most people in most circumstances really do want to do the right thing;
they really want to aspire higher. This book that I wrote with my colleagues,
John Stevens and Marie Piscoli, Reaching for Higher Grounds, says if you set
your goals high, people like having a challenge like that, people want to
achieve things that are good for the other people that are involved, they want
to do things that are good for their community, and for their children.. We need
to allow people to talk about that explicitly.
I believe we are on the edge of a quantum leap into a whole new way of organizing and living as a human family. -- Mairead Corrigan Maguire
Featured Links Organizations Making Noteworthy Contributions to Efforts to Promote More Constructive Conflict Mennonite Conciliation Service
Other Resources from Beyond Intractability Obstacles Become Part of Opportunity Louis Kriesberg offers President Bush constructive advice on how to overcome severe obstacles that are blocking the Israel/Palestine peace process, by transforming them into opportunities that build trust and peace.
Nobel Peace Prize Winners
Mohamed Anwar al-Sadat Former President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and 1978 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