On the occasion of his 90th birthday Louis Kriesberg provides an informative account of his career, tracing the trajectory of his discoveries, contributions, and stumbles as he sought to help the advance toward a more sustainable and just peace in the world. His work contributes to ideas and practices in several areas of conflict studies, notably intractable conflicts and their transformation, reconciliation, conflict analysis, and waging conflicts constructively. Although neither an autobiography nor a memoir, he embeds the course of his work in the context of historical events and in the evolving fields of peace studies and conflict resolution. In addition, he discusses the interaction of those fields with major conflicts. The book includes seven previously-published exemplary pieces on these and other topics, a comprehensive list of his publications, and several photos. A discussion of Kriesberg’s work and its significance is provided by George A. Lopez, Professor of Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame.

"This original and wide-ranging book examines how conflicts may have been more or less constructively conducted and affected the changing class, status, and power inequality in America since 1945. Initially, it assesses how some conflicts destructively contributed to increasing class inequality, with its many unfortunate consequences. It also assesses other conflicts that contributed or might have contributed constructively to fostering less class inequality. Then the book examines conflicts that contributed to some increases in status equality, notably of African Americans and women. Finally it goes on to analyze many specific conflicts that yielded varied and uneven changes in power inequality for different kinds of people. This book indicates how the destructively conducted conflicts contributed to the many contemporary antagonistic divisions currently threatening U.S. democracy. Throughout, possible constructive ways of fighting are noted or suggested, providing hopeful future options This book analyzes numerous conflicts at the national and local levels, both hidden and violent, including constructive conflict transformations. These social science analyses enable judgments to be made of better ways of contending that might have avoided the adverse consequences of many destructive conflicts in the past. The core ideas of the constructive conflict approach are tested as they were varyingly applied to struggles relating to class, status and power inequalities in America. Moreover, and importantly, the book suggests how persons applying the core ideas of the constructive conflict approach can help transform the current political and societal distress in the U.S. and avoid and overcome its many destructive outcomes"--

Constructive Conflicts provides a framework for analyzing social conflicts of all kinds, with emphasis on how conflicts can lead to positive change. The fifth edition features new material on the role of social movements and NGOs, non-coercive means for shaping conflict, post-conflict activities that result in enduring peace, and more.

Substantially revised for the sixth edition, Constructive Conflicts explains how large-scale political and social conflicts can be waged more constructively, with more positive consequences and fewer destructive consequences for those involved. Drawing on research from political science, sociology, social-psychology, neuroscience, cultural studies, and other disciplines, Dayton and Kriesberg follow the lifecycle of social and political conflicts as they emerge, escalate, de-escalate, become settled, and often emerge again in new forms. The sixth edition presents numerous new examples and cases of conflict episodes that have avoided extreme coercion or violence and which have resulted in the advancement of the interests of most parties involved. The book gives policymakers, concerned citizens, and students a powerful analytical framework, supported by data, for understanding and constructively intervening in conflicts of different type and scale, offering a way out of the destructive cycles of conflict management which have come to characterize contemporary social and political relations. Key revisions and features include: Increased attention to changes in the social and political landscape including the rise of nationalism, the erosion of liberal internationalism, conflicts related to COVID response, political polarization, and the Black Lives Matter movement Thoroughly revised cases and examples throughout Key content revisions such as the growth of bottom-up strategies for peace and conflict management, the rise of misinformation in a ‘post-truth’ era, and insights from neuroscience Table of contents now organized around three distinct book sections and chapter titles revised to reflect new content Numerous new figures and tables in every chapter End-of-chapter summaries, discussion questions, and activities New ancillary teaching materials, including experiential exercises, simulations, and lecture outlines with teaching tips

Perspectives in Waging Conflicts Constructively offers diverse perspectives on how large-scale conflicts can be conducted with more positive benefits, minimizing their destructiveness. Distinguished analysts and practitioners review the core ideas of the innovative “constructive conflict approach” and examine cases where conflicts have been waged with fewer destructive consequences. An introduction presents key concepts in constructive conflict resolution, and chapters offer cases of these theories in action. Cases feature both global and regional examples ranging from Israel to North Korea. The book also contains recommendations for policy makers, non-governmental organizations, and citizens about how stakeholders at all levels might help avoid destructive patterns that are common in large-scale conflict while working for positive change. Contributors include Patrick G. Coy, Esra Cuhadar, Bruce W. Dayton, Martina Fischer, Galia Golan, Louis Kriesberg, Christopher Mitchell, Robert Murrett, Thania Paffenholz, Lee Smithey, and Steven Zunes.

In this volume, scholars from different disciplines join together to examine the overlapping domains of conflict and collaboration studies. It examines the relationships between ideas and practices in the fields of conflict resolution and collaboration from multiple disciplinary perspectives. The central theme is that conflict and collaboration can be good, bad, or even benign, depending on a number of factors. These include the role of power, design of the process itself, skill level and intent of the actors, social contexts, and world views. The book demonstrates that various blends of conflict and collaboration can be more or less constructively effective. It discusses specific cases, analytical methods, and interventions, and emphasizes both developing propositions and reflecting on specific cases and contexts. The book concludes with specific policy recommendations for many sets of actors—those in peacebuilding, social movements, governments, and communities—plus students of conflict studies. This book will be of much interest to students, scholars, and practitioners of peace and conflict studies, public administration, sociology, and political science.

This pathbreaking book uncovers the important, underappreciated role of armed opposition groups turned political parties in shaping long-term patterns of politics after war. Based on an empirically grounded and theoretically informed retrospective on nearly 30 years of post-conflict democratic state-building efforts, it examines whether this practice has contributed to peace and finds that engaging post-rebel parties in electoral politics has proven to be a viable long-term strategy for bringing political stability, that disparate post-rebel parties from different political contexts invest heavily in electoral politics, and that few post-rebel parties actively seek return to civil conflict as a solution after becoming a political party. This book will be of key interest to scholars, students, and practitioners in democracy, governance, elections, political parties, post-conflict peacebuilding, and more broadly to international relations, comparative politics, and regional politics.

This Companion examines contemporary challenges in Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) and offers practical solutions to these problems. Bringing together chapters from new and established global scholars, the volume explores and critiques the foundations of Peace and Conflict Studies in an effort to advance the discipline in light of contemporary local and global actors. The book examines the following eight specific components of Peace and Conflict Studies: Peace and conflict studies praxis Structure–agency tension as it relates to social justice, nonviolence, and relationship building Gender, masculinity, and sexuality The role of partnerships and allies in racial, ethnic, and religious peacebuilding Culture and identity Critical and emancipatory peacebuilding International conflict transformation and peacebuilding Global responses to conflict. It argues that new critical and emancipatory peacebuilding and conflict transformation strategies are needed to address the complex cultural, economic, political, and social conflicts of the 21st century. This book will be of much interest to students of peace and conflict studies, peace studies, conflict resolution, transitional justice, reconciliation studies, social justice studies, and international relations.

This is an autobiography of an unusual and versatile woman, focusing on her academic development and achievements as well as her international activism. In addition to a discussion of the origins and path of the author's academic work and activism (for peace and for women's rights), that deals with the author's work in US intelligence and immigration to Israel in the 1960s, the volume includes ground-breaking articles from the different, often controversial areas of her academic specializations (Czechoslovak communism, Soviet foreign policy; peace studies, the Arab-Israeli conflict; women's rights). The volume also includes photos of the author at work and in action. - The book offers an inside look at a lifetime of courageous activities and ground breaking intellectual pursuits of a woman who was a leader in her academic field and in the struggle for peace and for women's rights. - The included texts themselves shed light on important topics, both past and present, including the Israeli-Arab Conflict and also the issue of women and peace.

This book examines the concept of peace leadership, bringing together scholars and practitioners from both peace and conflict studies and leadership studies. The volume assesses the activities of six peace leaders, the place and role of women and youth in leading for peace, military peace leadership, Aboriginal peace leadership, and theoretical frameworks that focus on notions of ecosystems, traits, and critical care. It provides insights into how Peace Leaders work to transform inner and external blockages to peace, construct social spaces for the development of a culture of peace, and sustain peace efforts through deliberate educative strategies. Conceptually, the primary aim of this book is to obtain a better understanding of peace leadership. Practically, this book presents one means of influencing our community (communities) to face its problems for the sake of challenging and helping our readers to understand and make progress on all that stands in the way of peace (connectedness). The contributions to this volume are drawn together by the overarching aim of this volume, which addresses the following question: What are the concerns, dilemmas, challenges, and opportunities for those who choose to lead and take risks for peace? This book will be of much interest to students of peace studies, conflict resolution, leadership studies and IR in general.