Terrorism Section
Terrorism Articles
Letter to our Colleagues about the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Like many mediators and other conflict professionals we share the desire to weigh in on the invasion of Ukraine and its devastating consequences for the Ukrainian people.
Race and Caste, Gender and Patriarchy, Wealth and Class: Mediating the Systems, Structures, and Sources of Prejudice
As a society, we have not resolved many enduring disputes, or convinced each other, or even discussed them intelligently, but ended up instead screaming at one another, clashing violently, and being prepared to manipulate, and even jettison the entire democratic process if it doesn’t back the candidates and policies we support.
A Transformational Approach to Conflicts Between Police, Demonstrators, and Communities of Color
Every officer learns to use violence and the martial arts. How many learn empathy, compassion, and emotional intelligence?
ACR Taskforce on Safety: Recommended Guidelines -- Final Part 3 in Series
The Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) Taskforce on Safety in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) has drafted the ADR Safety Planning to promote the safety of practitioners and participants in ADR processes. This is part 3 in the series--discussing what mediators can do in cases of extreme violence.
ACR Taskforce on Safety: Recommended Guidelines -- Part 1 in Series
The Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) Taskforce on Safety in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) has drafted the ADR Safety Planning to promote the safety of practitioners and participants in ADR processes. This is part 1 in the series--discussing the ideology and process approach of the Taskforce.
Figuring Out George Mitchell’s Real Contribution to the Good Friday Agreement
On Tuesday 10th April 2018, I was in Belfast to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) with all the great and the good who took part in those negotiations.
Conflicting Negotiation Styles and Strategies: Comparing Perspectives from Saudi Arabia & USA
This article describes the different cultural aspects to take into account when negotiating in Saudi Arabia or the US.
How to Make Mediation Safer in Cases of High Conflict
This article considers issues of safety in mediation, with practical advice for all mediators to consider before, during, and after a mediation session to ensure participant and mediator safety.
Convincing Violent Groups to be Non-Violent - Video
John Paul Lederach describes discussing alternatives to violent conflict with groups who felt powerless and that violence was their only avenue of action. One method he uses is to ask them what violence has achieved historically.
3 Powerful Conflict-Resolution Strategies From an Anti-terrorism Leader
Every business person eventually runs into conflict. What you do next determines whether you advance forward or fall back.
The Role of Intra-Group Consensus-Building in Disarming Militant Groups in Northern Ireland
This study examines the internal process that led combatant groups in Northern Ireland, focusing on the Loyalist camp, to relinquish armed struggle as a viable strategy to accomplish their political goals. The study focuses on internal dynamics, i.e. intra-group negotiations and consensus- building mechanisms that Loyalist militant organisations employed to switch from violence to non-violence and from confrontation to engagement with their enemies.
“Talk To Me”: What It Takes To Be An NYPD Hostage Negotiator
Crisis and hostage incidents are known for being stressful, unpredictable, tense, anxiety-filled, and emotionally driven. Add to this volatile concoction is that these incidents often can involve violence that has been threatened or having already occurred. Amidst these chaotic incidents New York City Police Department hostage negotiators emerge to provide the antidote to the ensuing turbulence.
For Mediators and Arbitrators - In This Corner: Behavioral Change Stairway Model
What is destroyed most in high tension situations is trust, and without trust, things will break down very quickly. When they do, they are replaced by increased anxiety and confusion, destroying the participants’ ability to make good, long-term decisions. It is the negotiator’s presence that keeps the trust intact.
The Passive-Aggressive: Terrorist or Freedom Fighter?
Collaborative conflict resolution requires a safe space for the conflict to exist. A hostile climate drives people underground, but curiosity, respect, and a willingness to be influenced encourage open communication.
Conflict and Movements for Social Change: The Politics of Mediation and the Mediation of Politics
Internal conflicts are endemic and natural to progressive political and social movements, in part because it is difficult to agree on how to define and change highly complex, volatile and evolving social problems. As a result, over time, different definitions of the problem and perceptions about the nature of those who defend and represent it result in radically different notions about what needs to be done to change it. This article helps to clarify definitions of conflict and people's goals for resolving it.
Dzhokar Tsarnaev
As we find ourselves satiated with the lurid details of the Boston Marathon Bombing, we notice the comic relief story: “Social Media Shows Support for Alleged Bomber’s Innocence." The temptation here is to either chuckle at Dzhokhar’s supporters’ refusal to accept the incursion of reality into their lives or express anger that there is any support at all for one who seems likely to have committed such an atrocity, and utilize this as an opportunity to allow ourselves to exclude these voices and belittle their message.
Negotiation Theory on the Edge of the Fiscal Cliff: The Limits of Rationality
In a Washington Post article, the views of some well-regarded negotiation experts cast doubt on the quality and efficacy of the ongoing "fiscal cliff" negotiations between President Obama and Speaker Boehner, noting how much that process is at odds with the civil, rational, and principled model they purport to teach and claim is practiced in other contexts. It may, however, be their theory of negotiation that is insufficient, not only as applied to the political sphere, but in all negotiations, by failing to account for the predictable irrationality of people in decision-making.
Reducing Citizen and Child Mass Shootings in the United States Using the Best Knowledge, Experience, and Practices From Conflict Resolution
Last Friday, mediators joined other citizens in the United States as they sat in shock and cried for the 26 people Adam Lanza killed in Sandy Hook, CT. Over the weekend, mediators hugged their children and friends, posted messages in Facebook, and called their families. On Monday, mediators commuted to work thinking, “What can we do”?
On Negotiation, Extremism and History - Book Review of Brown's and Marriott's ADR Principles and Practice
The conflict terrain of the last 30 years is an important backdrop to a complete appreciation of ADR Principles and Practice, Third Edition, by Henry Brown and Arthur Marriott, published by Sweet and Maxwell in 2011. The authors, both from the United Kingdom, demonstrate an appreciation for the vagaries of history and gritty realities of mediation, arbitration and conflict management practice garnered from many years of life and professional experience.
Replace TSA John Pistole?
TSA screeners must have a toolbox full interpersonal conflict resolution skills. Their leader, Pistole, should lead by example. It seems to me that the best person to head the TSA is a seasoned street cop who knows the value of negotiation.
No Risk? No Hope Then Either
I witnessed with alarm a recent ruling of the US Supreme Court regarding the U.S. PATRIOT Act. This Act makes it illegal to give support of any kind to groups listed by the US government as terrorist groups, even if the support is designed to end violence.
Mediation and Negotiation Are Designated As Criminal Acts: Maybe It’s For the Better
Should you be a private consultant or working for an NGO, e.g., Mediators Without Borders, Mercy Corps, or the Red Cross, who might dare to meet with, provide training in mediation, or suggest negotiation strategies that might encourage a nonviolent approach to any “designated” foreign “terrorist” organization, you can now be charged with the crime of “material support” in violation of the Federal Patriot Act of 2001.
Logic Overpowers Intuition: The Obama WAR!!!
President Obama decided to send 30,000 troops to Afghanistan in the next six months and then begin pulling them out a year after. He overlooked negotiation and mediation as effective options to end the war. He insists on what does not function to humanly end a war: war intensification.
Negotiators And Snipers: On Strategies For Managing Piracy On The High Seas---And Elsewhere
Few international incidents end with the successful finality and clarity as did the rescue of the Maerske ship Captain, Richard Phillips, from the clutches of Somali pirates in mid April. Three clean kill shots by U.S.Navy snipers settled the stand-off. Most people in the Western world felt relieved and good about the outcome. Maybe assassination was warranted. Clearly, piracy cannot be tolerated. However, the pursuit of both negotiation and assassination strategies at the same time is troublesome and may be costly in the longer term. If negotiation appears to be merely a pretext for snipers' to act, then will the trust essential for successful negotiations be lost in future negotiations?
John Paul Lederach: Pacifism as a Practice, Not Just an idea - Video
John Paul Lederach explains that those who preach pacifism should put themselves in a context where the practice is most needed, not talk about it from a safe distance.