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.
The creation of the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation has drawn my attention back to this all important subject and led me to think about how we have to apply it to the lasting divisions in the United States, starting with those over race.
In teaching about peacebuilding and conflict resolution, concepts are critical. None is more important than bright spots and positive deviance. Here are some examples and teaching tips.
I've been active in social movements for more than half a century and studied them as an academic for almost as long. Here's how my thinking about them has changed. Belatedly.
