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.
Subscribe for my newsletter to learn about new posts, and other things that cross my desk. Please suggest topics I should write about. Just submit ideas through the contact form.
Recent Posts
From Me to We
Starting with an internet meme my sister sent me, I explore the ways we can use the coronavirus epidemic to speed up the shift in the way we think from "me" first to "we" first. And, like the spread of the virus itself, maybe do at an exponential rate of growth.
Teachable Moments/Learnable Moments
The coronavirus can be what we academics from the 1960s call a teachable moment. Read this post to see how and why we could make that happen.
Coronavirus–1
One Peacebuilder's Take on the Coronavirus Sooner or later comes a crisis in our affairs, and how we meet it determines our future happiness and success. Since the beginning of [...]
Identity
Identity issues have long been at the heart of both fields I work in--peacebuilding and comparative politics. Although I'll limit myself to peacebuilding here, the ways we define who "we" are go a long way toward causing so many of the problems we face in the world today but also point us toward ways we can solve those problems.
National History day
Last week, I got to judge National History Day entries at my grandkids' elementary school. It got me thinking. A lot. Read about it here.
Peacebuilding Innovation American Style
Clayton Christensen's ideas have long shaped the way I think about peacebuilding. I've thought about that again since his death two weeks ago. Here are my current thoughts.
Young Peacebuilders
As a veteran of the 1960s peace and civil rights movements, I'm always glad to see a new generation aim to do us one better. Here are some initiatives being undertaken by young peacebuilders that give me hope.
Iran
We are facing yet another foreign policy crisis in our relationship with Iran. Two things happened yesterday that (re)shaped and (re)focused my thinking.
Oman
Just before Christmas, I spent a week in Oman, while attending a retreat on reconciliation. The trip taught me a lot about peacebuilding, starting with the country itself.