Welcome to my blog! Every week or so, I post an article on something involving wicked problems in peacebuilding or comparative politics. I define those fields very broadly, so you’ll probably be surprised by some of the topics I end up covering.

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Recent Posts

Thinks like a Commoner/Act Like a Commoner

September 5th, 2023|Comments Off on Thinks like a Commoner/Act Like a Commoner

In this post, I take the idea of the commons beyond the way it has historically been used and explore how it could help in broader social change efforts.

Introducing the Noosphere

August 16th, 2023|Comments Off on Introducing the Noosphere

Learn all about the noosphere without having to take the equivalent of a graduate course in applied science.

Get To Know Stranger’s Guide

August 7th, 2023|Comments Off on Get To Know Stranger’s Guide

Stranger's Guide is an amazing (but not so new) magazine that is sort of about travel and a whole lot more. Now available easily on Substack.

A Homework Assignment from Australia

June 26th, 2023|Comments Off on A Homework Assignment from Australia

I rarely write about the same topic in two consecutive blog posts. Normally, too, I just ask you to read what I write. Today, I’m going against the flow. Not only am I [...]

PeaceCon 2023

May 16th, 2023|Comments Off on PeaceCon 2023

AfP held its annual PeaceCon earlier this month. Here's one take on what happened.

My First Rotary Conference

April 24th, 2023|Comments Off on My First Rotary Conference

I had my first two official introductions to Rotary’s peacebuilding work last week. First, Gretchen and I attended the second of three planning sessions for a proposed permanent partnership between Rotary and George [...]

Getting Your Act Together

March 28th, 2023|Comments Off on Getting Your Act Together

I've been thinking a lot about personal growth and why it is so important for peacebuilding and peacebuilders. Here are some early ideas

A Weekend in Columbia

March 3rd, 2023|Comments Off on A Weekend in Columbia

We spent a remarkable weekend plotting social change in Columbia SC.

Three Dilemmas/Three Solutions

February 1st, 2023|Comments Off on Three Dilemmas/Three Solutions

Last week, I was handed three tough dilemmas involving social change. Three unexpectd (at least to me) experts helped me out.

To Peace

January 20th, 2023|Comments Off on To Peace

An overview of my next book, which could better be called, "peace, the verb."

Stranger’s Guide–Ukraine

December 16th, 2022|Comments Off on Stranger’s Guide–Ukraine

Stranger's Guide's most recent issue on Ukraine provides amazing insights into the country and its people in ways that go beyond the war.

CBT and Peacebuilding

November 9th, 2022|Comments Off on CBT and Peacebuilding

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a well-established therapeutic too. See you how it can be applied to peacebuilding.

Here to Hear

October 27th, 2022|Comments Off on Here to Hear

How do we effectively persuade people we disagree with so that we can build bigger and more powerful movements" This post explores that question by taking off from Anand Giridharadas' new boo, The Persuaders.

Curious Not Furious

October 11th, 2022|Comments Off on Curious Not Furious

AJ Jacobs is a funny man who writes serious books. This post talks about the serious side of his most recent effort, The Puzzler.

Community Mediation

September 27th, 2022|Comments Off on Community Mediation

Community Mediation I just joined the board of the National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM). I had worked with its President, D. G. Mawn, for the last few years and already [...]

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