Recent BI and Substack Posts

A summary of Jay Rothman's 2014 Negotiation Journal article in which Jay suggests mediators cannot be neutral, but they can be reflexive and use "disciplined bias" to reach resolution.

Carrie Menkel-Meadow, Connie Ozawa, and Barney Jordaan offer their their thoughts on what the conflict resolution field can do to help limit the hyper-polarization that is plaguing so many societies.

An excerpted version of James Adams's reflection on the similarities between the United States and war-torn and post-war countries abroad where he has served as a peacebuilder. 

A joint BI/CRQ call for those with conflict resolution and peacebuilding expertise to pool their insights and think about how we could help democracies better live up to their ideals.

The conversation between Jackie, Bernie, and the Burgesses is a good example of the blind man and the elephant parable. We all need to look at the whole elephant!

The world is made of stories, and good stories accumulate into larger narratives and make the world’s history what it is, and what it could be. Here's a story we should learn from before it becomes true.

An approach that says we should focus on peace and not justice is not only bound to fail, it is dangerous in these times when our democracy is under attack and authoritarianism is on the rise.

Is America's core problem hyper-polarization or oppression? Which is the cause and which is the effect? What does this imply about how we address both?

Jay argues that participatory, civic engagement to promote deeper understanding of and commitment to fundamental difference (which he refers to as "agonism") is essential for successful democracy.

Those who want to promote dialogue or peace-making among parties who are “at war” are inviting the wrong people to the wrong kind of event in the wrong way.  There are clear alternatives that work, devising seminars being one of them.

Adams's book summary explains why he wrote the book the way he did, and what he was trying to accomplish in doing so.

The key to successful revolutionary (or evolutionary) change is a broadly agreed-upon vision for a better society in which most everyone would like to live.

The continuing chasm that divides Trump supporters and opponents following the January 6 hearings highlights the need for a much more comprehensive effort to address the hyper-polarization problem.

SFCG country director Nawaz Mohamed talks about his background, how he got into peacebuilding work, and how (and why) he is working for reconciliation in his native Sri Lanka.

Breakthrough Collaboration is different from traditional dispute resolution and dialogue in that it can be initiated on just one side and does not need to bring the parties together. It can create "ripeness" where none exists.

The combination of complexity theory with negotiation theory yields a powerful tool for effective water resources management--and other complex public problems.

We’ll counter toxic polarization if and only if we offer people a better and credible alternative that they can put into practice in the lived experience of their daily lives. 

Listening to or caring about "the other side" has become much less common in "the age of Trump," but that just makes the roles of neutrals all the more important.

Lou Kriesberg, co-author with Bruce Dayton of Constructive Conflicts, offers a variety of comments, including his view that "polarization" implies equivalance of responsibility, which is not accurate.

Only Republicans can save the party from the abyss they have fallen into; the way out involves changing their dominant root narratives that drive their behavior.

Luttig asserts that America is at war with itself and if its leaders do not quickly develop the moral courage to make peace, America is doomed.

As we embrace every effort to end the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine today, we must seize this moment for what it is: our last best chance to prevent even greater tragedy tomorrow. 

Heidi Burgess interviews Shamill Idress about his career, Search for Common Ground's work, current challenges facing Search, the peacebuilding field, and the world as a whole--and how we can meet them.

From one of the many brave Russians who tried, and failed, to stop their countriy from sliding into an authoritarian dystopia, an eloquent reminder of why we have to strengthen liberal democracy.

The same dynamic that is driving the hyper-polarization crisis in so many countries now threatens to turn the Ukrainian crisis into a truly catastrophic war.