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

Introduction: Listening is the most important skill conflict intervenors can have, according to conflict resolution scholar and practitioner, Paul Wehr, from the University of Colorado.

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Most Important Skill
Paul Wehr
Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Colorado

Interviewed by
Julian Portilla
2003

People in this field always have to be good listeners. In the academic world we tend to want to talk more than to listen. We like to hear ourselves talk. So I would suggest for people coming into the field that if they're not good listeners already, they should develop good listening skills because the best conflict specialists are the ones who listen, watch, observe patiently, before they even begin to try analyze what is going on.

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

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Beyond Intractability Version IV
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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
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