Fall 2019 Update Find out about recent improvements to Beyond Intractability including next steps for the Constructive Conflict Initiative and a new online MOOS seminar.
Humanization
Humanization Strategies
Robert Stains recommends holding a social event before the formal commencement of a dialogue group.
Sarah Cobb explores circular questions and appreciative inquiry as non-threatening methods to enrich people's narratives.
Tamra d'Estrée explains how she finds the personal healing that occurs in some dialogues to be particularly inspiring.
Wallace Warfield discusses how much personal information the mediator should share with the disputants.
Mohammed Abu-Nimer sees interfaith dialogue as a sure way to break down stereotypes, establish relationships, and humanize "the other" in intractable conflicts between people of differing faiths.
Case Examples
This is a short description of the Congressional Retreat designed and facilitated by Mark Gerzon (with lots of assistants!).
Mark Gerzon talks about the empathy and humanization that emerged during the Congressional civility retreats.
Robert Stains talks about the dialogue groups he facilitated with the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts.
Mark Gerzon, organizer of the Congressional civility retreats, talks about the dialogue that took place during a retreat for Representatives of the U.S. Congress. He suggests that the recognition of shared pain allowed parties to see one another as real human beings
Ron Fisher, of American University, talks about the need to rebuild relationships in Cyprus to bring about reconciliation.
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...
Donations and Support Needed! --
Beyond Intractability is launching a Go Fund Me campaign to raise a little money to cover core program expenses. Please contribute what you can. #mbi_challenge
Oppression and Conflict: Introduction --
Amid today's efforts to actually do something about oppression, it's worth stepping back and thinking about what the term actually means. #mbi_fundamentals