You are invited to participate in and contribute to an online discussion of how those with conflict resolution and peacebuilding expertise can do more to defend liberal democracies while also helping them live up to their ideals.
A Beyond Intractability / Conflict Resolution Quarterly Joint Online Discussion / Blog
Discussion Focus / Framing Articles
CRQ Feature Article Framing the Discussion: Applying conflict resolution insights to the hyper-polarized, society-wide conflicts threatening liberal democracies — Burgess, Burgess, & Kaufman- CRQ Commentaries on the Feature Article from: Menkel-Meadow, Ozawa, Jordaan
- Secondary (newer) Framing Article: The Key to Revitalizing Liberal Democracy: Think of It As a Conflict Handling System — Burgess & Burgess
- BI/CRQ Discussion Project Origins: The Constructive Conflict Initiative
- More on the Focus of the Discussion
Executive Summaries / Highlights
For those with limited time, here are quick summaries (and links) to some of the discussion's most valuable insights.
- Executive Summary of CRQ Feature Article: Applying Conflict Resolution Insights to Today's Hyper-Polarized Societies
- Additional summaries to be added.
Invitation to Participate
CRQ Editor's Invitation- Beyond Intractability Co-Directors' Invitation (with information about how to join the discussion)
- The Best Way to Follow the Discussion Is by Signing-up for the BI Newsletter
Discussion Blog
Chronological listing starting with the most recent posts
- Nawaz Mohammed —Allison Pike-Merrell Interviews Nawaz Mohammed, Sri Lanka Country Director, Search for Common Ground - In this personal reflection, Search for Common Ground 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.
- Larry Susskind —Larry Susskind and Shafik Islam on Complexity -- The combination of complexity theory with negotiation theory yields a powerful tool for effective water resources management--and other complex public problems.
- Chip Hauss – Beyond Polarization — 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.
- Larry Susskind — Consensus Building in the Age of Trump What was it like in the Age of Trump? -- 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.
- Louis Kriesberg — Comments on “Applying conflict resolution insights…” by Burgess, Burgess, and Kaufman -- 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.
- Solon Simmons — Applying Root Narrative Theory to the Republican Party and American Politics -- 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.
- Chris Honeyman— Statement of J. Michael Luttig to the United States House Select Committee on the January 6, 2021 Attack on the United -- Chris pointed out that Luttig's testimony sounded very simplar to that of the CRQ framing article, as 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.
- Shamil Idress — We Must Break the Logic of War Now--Before We Get World War III — 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
- Ilia Krasilshchik — Russians Must Accept the Truth. We Failed — From one of the many brave Russians who tried, and failed, to stop their country from sliding into an authoritarian dystopia, an eloquent reminder of why It is so important that we work to resist hyper-polarization and strengthen liberal democracy.
- Shamil Idress and Heidi Burgess —Talk with Shamil Idress, CEO of Search for Common Ground — Two liner needed. Two liner needed. Two liner needed. Two liner needed. Two liner needed. Two liner needed. Two liner needed. Two liner needed.
- Guy Burgess — The Ukrainian War: What Happens When You Have a War That Both Sides Absolutely, Positively Can't Afford to Lose? — The dynamics that are driving the hyper-polarization crisis in so many countries are now threatening to turn the Ukrainian crisis into a truly catastrophic war.
- Carrie Menkel-Meadow — Applying Conflict Resolution Insights to Hyper-Polarization: “When Will (We) Ever Learn?” — A much longer version of Menkel-Meadow's formal Commentary exploring our interdependence and the importance of curiosity, humility, "process pluralism," and, most importantly, widespread education of the polity on better ways of dealing with conflict.
- See All Posts
- See All Posts Plus Earlier (Closely Related) Constructive Conflict Initiative Blog
Supporting, More In-depth Information from Beyond Intractability
In order to support the BI/CRQ discussion, we are starting to assemble supporting materials from the Beyond Intractability Knowledge Base and elsewhere and organize those around the framework explained in the secondary framing article.
