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


Introduction: Herb Kelman explains briefly the theory behind problem solving workshops.


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

Problem Solving Workshop Theory
Herb Kelman
Professor Emeritus, Program on Negotiation, Harvard University
Interviewed by
Julian Portilla
2003

I saw what Burton was doing and this whole model of what we call now track II diplomacy, as putting into practice a social psychological approach, at least in my parochial view, I saw it as a social psychological approach to international conflict, putting it into practice directly. The work that I had been doing was more indirectly related, but this was a direct way of putting this into practice. I call it a social psychological approach because it is a way of producing change in individuals, in this case, elites, politically influential individuals, but nevertheless individuals, via a group process, via interaction with each other, as a vehicle for changing the political culture and producing changes in the policy process. It is this relationship between the individual, behavior and interaction of individuals, and larger social system functioning that, to me, is the essence of social psychology. So that is why I saw this as social psychological approach and really, in a sense, you might say, what I had been looking for all those years.

 
Can I see another's woe, and not be in sorrow too? Can I see another's grief, and not seek for kind relief? -- William Blake

Featured Links
Organizations Making Noteworthy Contributions to Efforts to Promote More Constructive Conflict
Conciliation Resources
Conciliation Resources


Other Resources from
Beyond Intractability
Peacebuilding in Intractable Conflicts
Peacebuilding in Difficult and Intractable Conflicts

This website provides a wealth of resources for peacebuilders working at any stage of difficult or intractable conflicts.

Nobel Peace Prize Winners

John Hume
John Hume

Former leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party in the United Kingdom, and 1998 Nobel Peace 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