This is a great video of Peter Coleman (Columbia University) explaining his theories on intractable conflict, also outlined in his new book "The Five Percent: Finding Solutions to Seemingly Impossible Conflict." He discusses what is different about the five percent of conflicts that become intractable using the framework of the current polarization in the United States, particularly salient today, less than 24 hours since the US Presidential election. His framing is proving invaluable for understanding my work on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and I'm generally a Peter Coleman fan, having taken one of his courses at Columbia. It's also cool that he brings in the math, my former love.
It's funny. I went to his Sustaining Peace Event where he was releasing a new book on the psychological components of peace. There was a panel discussion including contributors to the book. The whole event was the day after the election and some of the questions ran in that direction. Then I started formulating a question along the lines of asking the panel if they think we are in a "cold civil war" given how we have had roughly 50/50 popular votes for many many elections now. I had also read that day about incredibly racist tweets about the President's reelection. Those tweets emphasized our division. I'm glad I didn't ask this question. They would have just laughed and said watch this Ted Talk (a talk a friend of mine sent the next day.
ReplyDeleteI think it is important to look at conflict at home. It is so easy to talk about it in places far away from where we are or where we have been. It is harder to talk about our role in the process and the intensity of conflict in our governing bodies.
Thanks for spreading word Heidi!
Tommy Dyer
Thanks Tommy. I 100% agree we need to look at conflict at home. After I spent a summer researching conflict factors in Jordan in 2009, I remember thinking I could apply the same framework I'd used to look at Jordanian-Palestinian-Iraqi divides to analyze racial/ethnic/class/religious divides in the U.S. Some of the factors that led me to conclude there were "problems" or "challenges" in Jordan, are much more prevalent in this country (the US).
ReplyDeleteWhat's interesting about the polarization in the US is the degree to which most people have very little interest in bridging the divide and instead focus solely on advocacy for their own issues (no judgement passed here--I often fall into this category) which is somewhat antithetical to President Obama's efforts this past term to work for bipartisanship and for greater consensus in Washington.
Thanks for the comment Tommy!