- For three decades I have traversed between academia and the professional practice of creative conflict engagement and... moreFor three decades I have traversed between academia and the professional practice of creative conflict engagement and peace-building. In both, I educate in participatory and transformative ways.I am the author of five books, 40 articles and a dozen Op. Ed. pieces. Just completed: Re-Envisioning Conflict Resolution: Visioning, Action and Evaluation in Conflict Engagement (Routledge, 2017).edit
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The focus of the case studies in this book are specific intervention efforts in ethnic conflicts — not the conflicts themselves. The author of each case study was asked to describe the activities making up an intervention, to spell out... more
The focus of the case studies in this book are specific intervention efforts in ethnic conflicts — not the conflicts themselves. The author of each case study was asked to describe the activities making up an intervention, to spell out each project’s criteria for success, and to analyse the assumptions underlying a project’s work. From each project’s goals and from the ways in which interveners discussed their activities, we believe one can learn about the theory of practice which informs particular conflict intervention efforts, and gain a clearer sense of how practitioners conceptualize their work. The idea here is that every action strategy has implicit criteria of success which can and should be articulated, and a key belief underlying our project is that more explicit goal articulation will improve both theory and practice.
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Wide-ranging and authoritative, The Handbook of Interethnic Coexistence addresses the question of how ethnic groups and nations can coexist without sacrificing their own identities and values. Written by authorities in conflict... more
Wide-ranging and authoritative, The Handbook of Interethnic Coexistence addresses the question of how ethnic groups and nations can coexist without sacrificing their own identities and values. Written by authorities in conflict resolution, social psychology, and international relations, this handbook actually advocates the new professional field of coexistence work. It includes comprehensive bibliographies, organizations that sponsor coexistence work, and graduate programs in dispute resolution.
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ABSTRACT:" International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka in association with PEW Charitable Trusts, Philadelphia, Pa, USA, Tulane Institute for International Development, Arlington, Va, USA, Institute for Central European... more
ABSTRACT:" International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka in association with PEW Charitable Trusts, Philadelphia, Pa, USA, Tulane Institute for International Development, Arlington, Va, USA, Institute for Central European Studies, Laszlo Teleki ...
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Notes on the Contributors Theory and Practice in Ethnic Conflict Management: Conceptualizing Objectives M.H.Ross & J.Rothman Reflections on Theory and Practice in a Thirty Year Old Problem-Solving Workshop C.Mitchell From Changing... more
Notes on the Contributors Theory and Practice in Ethnic Conflict Management: Conceptualizing Objectives M.H.Ross & J.Rothman Reflections on Theory and Practice in a Thirty Year Old Problem-Solving Workshop C.Mitchell From Changing Governments to Building Networks: The Evolution of Goals in the Conflict Management Group's Project in the Former Soviet Union M.Boltjes Organizing Conflict Resolution Interventions in Situations of Rapid Change: The South African Transition J.Cilliers Catholic Relief Services' Peacebuilding Role in the Republic of Macedonia: Using Humanitarian Assistance to Promote Democratic Awareness and Civic Participation J.Leatherman Addressing Kurdish Separatism in Turkey M.Muftuler The Hopi-Navajo Land Dispute: Official and Unofficial Interventions T.P.d'Estree Understanding the Pluralistic Objectives of Conflict Resolution Interventions in Northern Ireland R.Mulvihill & M.H.Ross Moving Toward Peace in Jerusalem D.Gorman Goal Setting and Conflict Resolution in the Cyprus Consortium's Initiative J.Rothman Building a Sustainable Peace in Guatemala K.Lucke Evaluating Evaluation in Ethnic Conflict Resolution J.Folger Conclusion: Integrating Evaluation into the Intervention Process M.Howard Index
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... Alevy, DI, B. Bunker, LW Doob, WJ Foltz, N. French, EB Klein, and JC Miller (1974)." Rationale, Research, and Role Relations in the Stirling Workshop." Journal of Conflict Resolution 18: 276-284. Alexander, CN, JL... more
... Alevy, DI, B. Bunker, LW Doob, WJ Foltz, N. French, EB Klein, and JC Miller (1974)." Rationale, Research, and Role Relations in the Stirling Workshop." Journal of Conflict Resolution 18: 276-284. Alexander, CN, JL Davies, et al.(1990)." Growth of Higher Stages of Conscious ...
The Struggle for Peace: Israelis and Palestinians HOCKING Mary Evelyn.
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Abstract: Clearly defined and measurable goals are commonly considered prerequisites for effective evaluation. Goal setting, however, presents a paradox to evaluators because it takes place at the interface of rationality and values. The... more
Abstract: Clearly defined and measurable goals are commonly considered prerequisites for effective evaluation. Goal setting, however, presents a paradox to evaluators because it takes place at the interface of rationality and values. The objective of this article is to demonstrate a method for unlocking this paradox by making goal setting a process of evaluating goals, not simply defin-ing them. Goals can be evaluated by asking program stakeholders why their goals are important to them. Systematic inquiry into goals also prepares the ground for setting consensual goals that express what stakeholders really care about. This article describes the method, provides a case illustration, offers guidelines for practice, and discusses the method in the context of the evalua-tion literature on goals and goal setting.
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Action Evaluation (AE) has evolved over the last 8 years in parallel with my conflict resolution process called ARIA (Antagonism, Resonance, Invention and Action). AE builds on ARIA (i.e. the last phase of ARIA is the first of AE), yet... more
Action Evaluation (AE) has evolved over the last 8 years in parallel with my conflict resolution process called ARIA (Antagonism, Resonance, Invention and Action). AE builds on ARIA (i.e. the last phase of ARIA is the first of AE), yet for clarity they should be distinguished (for a full discussion of the ARIA framework, see Rothman, 1997, or www.ariagroup.com; for a full discussion of AE, please go to www.aepro.org).
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The action evaluation process at a mediation agency in Dayton, Ohio, that offers the services of trained volunteers is described. Action evaluation is an integrated research and intervention methodology for helping to define, promote, and... more
The action evaluation process at a mediation agency in Dayton, Ohio, that offers the services of trained volunteers is described. Action evaluation is an integrated research and intervention methodology for helping to define, promote, and assess success in an endeavor, while using evaluation as a bridge between research and practice in ways that promote greater quality in both. The action evaluation process includes: (1) a baseline stage that incorporates a systematic process for cooperative goal setting, team-building and participatory decision making; (2) a formative stage in which participants refine their goals and begin working toward them; and (3) a summative stage in which participants take stock of their progress using their evolved goals to establish criteria for retrospective assessment. How these stages evolved at the Dayton Mediation Center is described. The experiences of the Center show that action evaluation is more than an effective process of goal articulation and d...
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The systematic study and applied practice of conflict resolution is now a few decades old and is evolving into its own field and perhaps towards its own discipline (Avruch, 2013). I believe an essential way forward towards a more robust... more
The systematic study and applied practice of conflict resolution is now a few decades old and is evolving into its own field and perhaps towards its own discipline (Avruch, 2013). I believe an essential way forward towards a more robust field and discipline is to build a parsimonious contingency approach. That is, an approach for applying our best theoretical and analytical tools to diagnosing the nature and status of a given conflict and then systematically and adaptively matching up the best methods for constructively engaging the conflict as it evolves. Fisher and Keashly (1991) pioneered contingency theory in international conflict resolution, while Sander and Goldberg suggested “fitting the forum to the fuss” in domestic ADR a few years later (1994). Since then the notion has caught on and is now somewhat in “vogue” (Fisher, 2012). However, surprisingly little development has occurred in this arena given the promise it holds. The contingency model described in this article buil...
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Current efforts to develop an “appropriate technology” for evaluating conflict resolution methods, including conflict resolution training, are described. There is a need in conflict resolution for research and evaluation methods which are... more
Current efforts to develop an “appropriate technology” for evaluating conflict resolution methods, including conflict resolution training, are described. There is a need in conflict resolution for research and evaluation methods which are contextually sensitive to the setting, participants, content, and process of specific initiatives. This need parallels the idea of appropriate technology in third world development efforts, in which sensitivity to context and a great deal of local participation is sought to ensure that outside aid is truly wanted and helpful. Appropriate means of evaluating conflict resolution are still lacking; new methodologies consistent with, and even constitutive of, normative conflict resolution goals and values are required. The article describes and illustrates a process designed to bridge conflict resolution and evaluation, which is labeled “action-evaluation.”
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Abstract: Current efforts to develop an “appropriate technology” for evaluating conflict resolution methods, including conflict resolution training, are described. There is a need in conflict resolution for research and evaluation methods... more
Abstract: Current efforts to develop an “appropriate technology” for evaluating conflict resolution methods, including conflict resolution training, are described. There is a need in conflict resolution for research and evaluation methods which are contextually sensitive to ...
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History was made on April 12, 2002, when a collaborative agreement to try to transform policing and police-community relations was signed in Cincinnati, Ohio. Signatories included the Mayor of Cincinnati, the president of the local police... more
History was made on April 12, 2002, when a collaborative agreement to try to transform policing and police-community relations was signed in Cincinnati, Ohio. Signatories included the Mayor of Cincinnati, the president of the local police union, the head of the Ohio chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and the president of the Cincinnati Black United Front (BUF). Even the Attorney General of the United States was there to witness the occasion. This unprecedented agreement was based on goals encapsulated by the citizens of Cincinnati as well as the police, and included the most advanced social science research on police effectiveness. It called for improved relationships and a new problem-solving policing strategy in Cincinnati that could simultaneously transform troubled police-community relations while reducing crime. The Collaborative Agreement (CA) was the result of nine months of participatory problem assessment and goal setting by almost 3,500 citizens of Cinci...
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Overview Evaluation should not be an onerous chore, put off until a program's conclusion. Neither should it be something that is done after much time and money are spent, only to have an outside evaluation team inform the organization... more
Overview Evaluation should not be an onerous chore, put off until a program's conclusion. Neither should it be something that is done after much time and money are spent, only to have an outside evaluation team inform the organization (and its funders) that the program ...
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ABSTRACT This chapter theorizes, and provides field-based illustrations, about new ways to foster intergroup collaboration beginning first with intragroup conflict engagement. While the author has been experimenting with these ideas and... more
ABSTRACT This chapter theorizes, and provides field-based illustrations, about new ways to foster intergroup collaboration beginning first with intragroup conflict engagement. While the author has been experimenting with these ideas and practices for many years, this chapter represents still early efforts to lay out an agenda for systematic research and experimentation. I hypothesize that by successfully engaging internal conflicts about outgroups within ingroups, sides may separately become more willing and able to successfully and interactively solve shared problems and achieve superordinate goals between them. History is filled with attempts at cooperation between antagonistic groups whether through negotiated agreement, functional cooperation, promoting positive contact and attitudes, and so forth that have led instead to worsening attitudes and renewed confrontation. Even when polarized groups decide to cooperate to achieve superordinate goals (Sherif, 1966) they are often unable to make this leap from conflict to collaboration. I posit that this may be in Intersectionality and Social Change Research in Social Movements, Conflicts and Change, Volume 37, 107123 Copyright r 2014 by Emerald Group Publishing Limited All rights of reproduction in any form reserved ISSN: 0163-786X/doi:10.1108/S0163-786X20140000037004 107 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 part because inadequate attention is paid first to intragroup conflict dynamics vis-a`-vis outgroups.
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ABSTRACT I suggest and illustrate how teaching students to become reflexively self-aware is an empowering process and philosophy for both teaching and learning about peace and conflict. Developing tools and methods to encourage... more
ABSTRACT I suggest and illustrate how teaching students to become reflexively self-aware is an empowering process and philosophy for both teaching and learning about peace and conflict. Developing tools and methods to encourage reflexivity—such as journals, exercises, and reflexive conflict engagement in the classroom—can help students develop a deep self-awareness about their own thoughts and reflections and greatly enhance education and its liberating potential. In addition to learning critical thinking about the “reality out there,” students and teachers will greatly benefit by reflexive study of their own reactions to conflict and cooperation, empowerment, and peace in order to gain deeper perspective and new skills for studied choice making and modeling to others.
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Through proper engagement, identity-based conflict enhances and develops identity as a vehicle to promote creative collaboration between individuals, the groups they constitute and the systems they forge. This handbook describes the... more
Through proper engagement, identity-based conflict enhances and develops identity as a vehicle to promote creative collaboration between individuals, the groups they constitute and the systems they forge. This handbook describes the specific model that has been ...
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ABSTRACT In this article, I describe a reflexive approach to mediation, which I see as a promising corrective to two positivist ideas in our field that are slow to fade: that we should be neutral as third parties and that parties should... more
ABSTRACT In this article, I describe a reflexive approach to mediation, which I see as a promising corrective to two positivist ideas in our field that are slow to fade: that we should be neutral as third parties and that parties should seek solutions based on objective truth. Grounded in a more constructionist approach using findings from qualitative social research and drawing analogies from those findings as they apply to mediation, a reflexive praxis accepts the reality that a third party cannot be neutral and that constructive outcomes to conflicts are rarely rooted just in “the facts.” Rather this view holds that an intersubjective rendering of reality in and out of the mediation room constitutes a large part of the collaborative effort of mediation.
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