Maxwell faculty co-edit new book on intractable conflicts
Three Maxwell faculty members, Miriam Elman,
Catherine Gerard, and Louis Kriesberg, and their colleague Galia Golan at the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, have co-edited Overcoming Intractable Conflicts: New Approaches to Constructive
Transformations, recently published by Rowman & Littlefield.
Overcoming
Intractable Conflicts asks why, despite academic and
policy efforts since the 1970s to transform intractable conflicts around the
globe, many of these conflicts have recently erupted and progress has
frequently reversed. The volume’s interdisciplinary contributors analyze new
conditions that make such conflict more difficult to manage and discuss successful
approaches for understanding and shifting both inter- and intra-national
conflicts from around the world. Its case studies range from the changing
geographies of international migration and how increases in national security
practices can lead to serious human insecurities to an assessment of the
strengths and weaknesses of intergroup dialogue for fostering community and
solidarity among participants. The book views social conflicts as universal and
thus comparable, and its contributors together urge policy and conflict scholars
to rethink familiar concepts if they are ever to see success in addressing such
seemingly intractable global conflicts.
Miriam Elman is an associate professor of
political science who serves as the research director for the Program for the
Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration (PARCC). Trained in both
political science and international relations, Elman is an Israeli studies
scholar focusing on national and international security, the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and academic freedom and free speech.
Catherine Gerard is director of PARCC,
associate director of Executive Education programs, and adjunct professor of
public administration and international affairs. Her research focuses on collaborative
leadership and conflict transformation.
Louis Kriesberg, professor emeritus of
sociology and Maxwell Professor Emeritus of Social Conflict Studies, is a
scholar of social conflicts, peace studies, and conflict resolution. He was
formerly president of the Society for the Study of Social Problems and
continues to regularly consult and provide trainings concerning conflict
resolutions, security issues, and peace studies. He was the founding director
of PARCC.
You can read more about their edited volume at Rowan
& Littlefield’s website.
01/15/20