Beyond Intractability in Context Blog

Conflict in the News Graphic

More information about the BI in Context Blog is available on its Landing Page.

Additional Blogs and Online Seminars available from BI include:
Constructive Conflict MOOS Seminar | Conflict Frontiers MOOS Seminar | Thing You Can Do To Help | MOOS Fundamentals | Colleague Activities

Posts ordered from most recent to earliest.

  • The New York Times shares a good article about Obama's speech at Howard University with a link to a video of the speech. It's great advice for social justice advocates. -- Obama's Speech at Howard -- May 07
  • The Atlantic makes an insightful comparison of the benefits of self compassion (as opposed to self-esteem). -- Self-Compassion Works Better Than Self-Esteem -- May 06
  • Thomas Edsall in the New York Times provides a great explanation of crucial role of the "second demographic transition" - shifts in the social landscape regarding gender and reproduction - in shaping US political conflict. -- The Great Trump Reshuffle -- May 04
  • David Brooks, writing in the New York Times, explains another convincing contributor to conflict problems–-cultural changes that have produced an "explosion of choice." -- The Choice Explosion -- May 03
  • From Scientific American, we get an interesting article on scientific explanations for the cultural divides between liberals and conservatives. -- The Cultural Divide in Politics -- May 01
  • New York Magazine has published a must-read article: it's a long and detailed analysis with fresh insights into the many crises facing US and other "late-stage" democracies. -- Democracies End When They Are Too Democratic -- May 01
  • From Scientific American, an interesting article on the "scientifically proven" secrets of successful parenting. -- Secrets of Successful Parenting -- May 01
  • In the New York Times, David Brooks makes a persuasive argument that those who try to help us understand society can't do so from inside the "elite bubble," discussing the implications of the Trump campaign. -- Time to Take the Long View -- Apr 29
  • The Atlantic shares surprising statistics reminding us again of the need to take the risk of conflict catastrophes seriously: a human is five times as likely to die in an extinction event as in a car crash. -- Human Extinction Isn't That Unlikely -- Apr 29
  • In the New York Times, Thomas Edsall shares great statistics illuminating the emergence of class as the central political fault line in the United States. -- How the Other Fifth Lives -- Apr 27
  • The Atlantic shares a provocative video emphasizing the shortcomings of simple empathy by itself, and the need for sophisticated problem-solving. -- Is Empathy Bad? -- Apr 27
  • IZA shares an interesting window into the complex calculations of gender pay equity in the United States. -- The Gender Wage Gap -- Apr 27
  • Pew Research shares interesting statistics on the sharply more optimistic views of emerging societies, contrasted with their rich, developed counterparts. -- Developing Economies are More Optimistic -- Apr 27
  • The Atlantic explains that there are declining birth rates among millennials - is this enough to threaten the "sustainability" of the next generation? -- The Childless Millennial -- Apr 27
  • This great TED talk explains the dangers of "single-story" stereotypes and strategies for overcoming them. -- The Danger of a Single Story -- Apr 27
  • Pew Research shares interesting statistics about how the United States really is exceptional in views and values. -- When Americans Stand Out -- Apr 27
  • Pew sheds light on another key to understanding United States' big conflict: the relationship between education and politics. -- Education Causes an Ideological Gap -- Apr 26
  • The New York Times sharse another reason why democracy is in trouble: the growing unwillingness to accept the legitimacy of political defeat. -- The Cult of Sore Losers -- Apr 26
  • The Washington Post shares a new way of understanding gun violence in their high-tech window into when, where, and how often guns are actually fired. -- A New Way to Measure Gun Violence -- Apr 23
  • The Intercept gives those ready to ask hard questions about the role that the US has played in the Middle East a good place to start. -- The Long, Misguided War -- Apr 23
  • The New York Times offers one explanation for US complacency about climate change: the weather in the US has been getting better. How are we to respond? -- Global Warming Feels Quite Pleasant -- Apr 21
  • Every liberal should read Vox's argument that the "smugness" problem is making our problems much tougher. -- American Liberals are Smug -- Apr 21
  • The Washington Post shares two fascinating statistical snapshots illustrating enormous cultural changes in how the US thinks about marriage. -- Cultural Changes in Finding a Spouse -- Apr 19
  • The Atlantic shares a great essay on "concept creep" in psychology, and the costs and benefits of a field's efforts to expand its scope. -- Sensitivity and Concept Creep -- Apr 19
  • Moyers and Company discuss the need for limiting the risk of nuclear war. Murphy was right, if anything can go wrong it EVENTUALLY will! -- Murphy's Law an Nuclear War -- Apr 19

Pages