The Intractable Conflict Challenge

Our inability to constructively handle intractable conflict is the most serious, and the most neglected, problem facing humanity. Solving today's tough problems depends upon finding better ways of dealing with these conflicts. More...

Beyond Intractability initiatives, learning materials, and knowledge base support those working on these conflicts at all levels—from the individual to the societal.

Selected Recent BI Posts
Including Hyper-Polarization Posts

Hyper-Polarization Graphic

Heidi and Guy Burgess Talk with Tom Klaus and Lamar Roth in their "Third Space" -- Tom Klaus and Lamar Roth talked with Guy and Heidi Burgess about Beyond Intractability, hyper-polarization, constructive conflict, and ways we are going to get out of the "mess" we are in.
Colleague, News, and Opinion Links for the Week of February 9, 2025 -- More important readings from our colleagues and journalists of note.
Reprise: Sharp vs. Fuzzy Feedback — The Distinction That Explains Why Society Can Be Both Astonishingly Smart and Incredibly Stupid -- We are good at understanding and responding to sharp feedback, but not nearly as good seeing and responding to fuzzy feedback, which is the source of many serious mistakes. With current hyper-polarization, will any feedback be heeded?

Get the Newsletter
Check Out Our Quick Start Guide

Educators
Consider BI's low-cost Teaching Materials.

Hyper-Polarization Discussion
Follow (and contribute to) an ongoing exploration of ideas for better meeting the tough challenges posed by hyper-polarization and intractable conflict.

Constructive Conflict Initiative
Join us in calling for a dramatic expansion of this work.

Things You Can Do to Help Ideas

Practical things we can all do to limit the destructive conflicts threatening our future.

Conflict Frontiers

A free, open, online seminar exploring new approaches for addressing difficult and intractable conflicts. Major topic areas include:

Scale, Complexity, & Intractability

Massively Parallel Peacebuilding

Authoritarian Populism

Constructive Confrontation

Conflict Fundamentals

An look at to the fundamental building blocks of the peace and conflict field covering both “tractable” and intractable conflict.

Beyond Intractability / CRInfo
Knowledge Base

Home / Browse | Essays | Search | About

BI in Context

Links to thought-provoking articles exploring the larger, societal dimension of intractability.

Colleague Activities

Information about interesting conflict and peacebuilding efforts.

Intractable Conflict Challenge

Beyond Intractability initiatives, learning materials, and knowledge base support those working on these conflicts at all levels—from the individual to the societal.

Intractable Conflict Challenge

Beyond Intractability initiatives, learning materials, and knowledge base support those working on these conflicts at all levels—from the individual to the societal.

Intractable Conflict Challenge

Beyond Intractability initiatives, learning materials, and knowledge base support those working on these conflicts at all levels—from the individual to the societal.

Things You Can Do to Help Ideas

Practical things we can all do to limit the destructive conflicts threatening our future.

Conflict Frontiers Seminar

A free, open, online seminar exploring new approaches for addressing difficult and intractable conflicts. Major topic areas include:

Scale, Complexity, &
Intractability

Massively Parallel
Peacebuilding

Authoritarian
Populism

Constructive
Confrontation

BI in Context

Links to thought-provoking articles exploring the larger, societal dimension of intractability.

The Intractable Conflict Challenge

Beyond Intractability initiatives, learning materials, and knowledge base support those working on these conflicts at all levels—from the individual to the societal.

Beyond Intractability
Hyper-Polarization Blog
Includes BI/CRQ Discussion

Selected Recent Posts

Heidi and Guy Burgess Talk with Tom Klaus and Lamar Roth in their "Third Space" -- Tom Klaus and Lamar Roth talked with Guy and Heidi Burgess about Beyond Intractability, hyper-polarization, constructive conflict, and ways we are going to get out of the "mess" we are in.
Colleague, News, and Opinion Links for the Week of February 9, 2025 -- More important readings from our colleagues and journalists of note.
Reprise: Sharp vs. Fuzzy Feedback — The Distinction That Explains Why Society Can Be Both Astonishingly Smart and Incredibly Stupid -- We are good at understanding and responding to sharp feedback, but not nearly as good seeing and responding to fuzzy feedback, which is the source of many serious mistakes. With current hyper-polarization, will any feedback be heeded?
Colleague, News, and Opinion Links for the Week of February 2, 2025 -- Our weekly set of readings renamed to clarify the contents, trying to help our readers understand the challenges we face.

Get the Newsletter
Check Out Our Quick Start Guide

Educators
Consider BI's low-cost Teaching Materials.

Hyper-Polarization Discussion
Follow (and contribute to) an ongoing exploration of ideas for better meeting the tough challenges posed by hyper-polarization and intractable conflict.

Constructive Conflict Initiative
Join us in calling for a dramatic expansion of this work.

Things You Can Do to Help Ideas

Practical things we can all do to limit the destructive conflicts threatening our future.

Conflict Frontiers

A free, open, online seminar exploring new approaches for addressing difficult and intractable conflicts. Major topic areas include:

Scale, Complexity, &
Intractability

Massively Parallel
Peacebuilding

Authoritarian
Populism

Constructive
Confrontation

Conflict Fundamentals

An look at to the fundamental building blocks of the peace and conflict field covering both “tractable” and intractable conflict.

Beyond Intractability / CRInfo
Knowledge Base

Home / Browse | Essays | Search | About

BI in Context

Links to thought-provoking articles exploring the larger, societal dimension of intractability.

Colleague Activities

Information about interesting conflict and peacebuilding efforts.

Things You Can Do to Help Ideas

Practical things we can all do to limit the destructive conflicts threatening our future.

Conflict Frontiers Seminar

A free, open, online seminar exploring new approaches for addressing difficult and intractable conflicts. Major topic areas include:

Scale, Complexity, and Intractability

Massively Parallel Peacebuilding

Authoritarian Populism

Constructive Confrontation

News and Opinion

Links to thought-provoking articles exploring the larger, societal context of intractability.

Hyper-Polarization Discussion
Follow (and contribute to) an ongoing exploration of ideas for better meeting the tough challenges posed by hyper-polarization and intractable conflict.

Constructive Conflict Initiative
Join us in calling for a dramatic expansion of this work.

Conflict Fundamentals

An look at to the fundamental building blocks of the peace and conflict field covering both “tractable” and intractable conflict.

Beyond Intractability / CRInfo
Knowledge Base

A much more extensive set of materials including theoretical articles, case studies, book and article summaries, profiles of peacebuilders and more.
Home / Browse | Essays | Search | About

Colleague Activities

Information about interesting conflict and peacebuilding efforts.

Selected Recent BI PostsIncluding Hyper-Polarization Posts

Selected Recent Posts

Recent BI PostsIncluding Hyper-Polarization Posts

Recent BI PostsIncluding Hyper-Polarization Posts

Selected Recent BI Posts
Including Hyper-Polarization Posts

Recent BI Posts
Including Hyper-Polarization Posts

Recent BI Posts
Including Hyper-Polarization Posts