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Constructive Conflict Guide >
Intractable Conflict Threat and Opportunity >
The Constructive Conflict Promise: an Engine of Social Learning and Progress
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A Resilient Democracy Capable of Defending Itself from Internal and External Threats

BI Article
Our Most Important Conflict: Coexisters vs. Fighters vs. Divide & Conquerors
The Frontiers Seminar looks at process and goal frames--some people want to coexist, others fight to win, while others fight to conquer.

BI Article
Pro-Democracy Efforts: the Tension between Power-Over or Power-With Approaches
Pro-democracy efforts have little consensus on what democracy is, or how it should be "saved." Our failure to reconcile these competing views is a big part of the reason why democracy is in so much trouble.

BI Article
Mapping the Continuum between Democracy and Authoritarianism
This post explains the nature and importance of the continuum that stretches from ideal democracy to authoritarian dystopia.

BI Article
Kristin Hansen: As America's political "world series" wraps up, let's focus on the long game + Richard Harwood Concurring Statement
Kristin Hansen of the Civic Health Project reflects on where we need to move to strengthen our civic health after the election; Richard Harwood and the Burgesses concur and add a few more thoughts about how to create a new "civic path."

BI Article
Lou Kriesberg's "For All the People" and Related Thoughts About Paths Forward for the U.S.
Taking Kriesberg's essay as a starting point, this newsletter explores, from left-leaning and centrist perspectives, a range of hopeful responses that are emerging to the most extreme actions of the still young Trump presidency.

BI Article
Part 2 of the Burgess's Answer to Ashok Panikkar's Questions about Hyperpolarization and Today's World
We finish answering Ashok Panikkar by talking about other drivers of hyper-polarization: globalization and technology driven job loss, identity politics, cable news and social media, and distrust of institutions. We also address Ashok's notion of theory of continuity and share what we think it will take to "save" liberal democracy in the U.S.

BI Article
Daniel Stid: Competitive Authoritarianism Comes for Civil Society
An exploration of the critical role that civil society needs to play in the defending US democracy and thoughts about how civil society might overcome the challenges that are making it difficult for it to play that role.

BI Article
Daniel Stid: Civil Society and the Liberal Democratic Project
Defending civil society against attacks is not enough. We also need to cultivate the attributes that will make civil society more defensible – and worth defending.

Subsidiary Folders
Liberal Democratic Systems
The principal strength of democratic societies, the freedoms that it offers its diverse citizenry, also leave it vulnerable to internal conflict -- conflicts that must be successfully managed.

Subsidiary Folders
Illiberal Authoritarian Systems
Citizens of a democracy need to understand the dangerous allure of embracing authoritarian systems (and the almost always mistaken belief that strong leaders really will prioritize the welfare of their constituents).

Subsidiary Folders
Building the Dispute Handling System that Makes Democracy Work
With their many strategies for constructively handling disputes, the conflict and peacebuilding fields have much to contribute to efforts to build democratic institutions that really work for everyone.

Colleague Activities
Immigrants Are Key to Fighting Off Authoritarianism