I think that one of our main missions in the DR field is to promote constructive engagement in conflict. We know that conflict is inevitable and it can be constructive and/or destructive. Often, when people are in conflict, it is very destructive and everyone just wants to end the conflict as quickly as possible while … Continue reading Touching Story of Relationship of Constructive Engagement in Conflict
From TFOI Jackie Font-Guzmán: The Werner Institute and the 2040 Initiative at the Creighton University School of Law invite you to a symposium exploring how the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision of Loving v. Virginia has influenced society institutionally, demographically and relationally. The symposium, entitled 50 Years of Loving: Seeking Justice Through Love and Relationships, … Continue reading What the World Needs Now
On January 10, President Obama gave his farewell address, which dealt, in part, with building common ground between people divided across so many boundaries. Although some people obviously disagree with President Obama politically, hopefully most people would agree with the following ideas. As I wrote previously, understanding and empathizing with others does not mean that … Continue reading Building Common Ground Between Bubbles – Part 5
“[E]xtremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And . . . moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!” So said Senator Barry Goldwater a half a century ago when he accepted the Republican nomination for president in 1964. He lost that election in a landslide, so extremism apparently wasn’t such a … Continue reading Is Political Moderation a Virtue These Days?
Tis one of the least fun seasons of the year for faculty: Time to grade stacks of exams and papers. While it is exciting to see signs that some of our wards have learned a lot from our instructional efforts, it is depressing to see evidence raising doubts that we inhabit the same galaxy as … Continue reading A Cool Course Assignment for Next Semester — and A Scholarship Opportunity
Troubled by the corrosive conflict stirred up by the election, I have written a series of posts about how we might move forward constructively, particularly on the personal (as distinct from the political) level. I think that political progress may depend, in part, on breaking down barriers of misunderstanding and fear between groups in our … Continue reading Building Common Ground Between Bubbles – Part 4
With renewed attention to Cuba due to the death of Fidel Castro, you might want to revisit posts about Cuba from my trip and Andrea’s trip in 2014 and 2016 respectively. In keeping with my effort to understand situations from multiple perspectives, my Cuba Diaries includes opposing narratives of the Cuban Revolution. I read about … Continue reading Cuba Revisited
Another message from the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation: The holiday season, beginning with Thanksgiving this week, is a time of sharing and gathering, of getting together with family and friends. Usually a wonderful time of the year, it can also be a season of discord, especially as political topics may be common in the weeks … Continue reading Tips for Better Thanksgiving Conversations
I want to add several things to my post about finding common ground between “bubbles.” In 2008, then-Senator Obama gave his “More Perfect Union” speech in the wake of the Jeremiah Wright controversy. Reverend Wright had been Senator Obama’s pastor and made some inflammatory statements that caused a major controversy for Obama’s presidential campaign. In … Continue reading Building Common Ground Between Bubbles – Part 3
This morning, I posted How Can We Build Common Ground Between Bubbles? (Thanks for your kind words, Jen.) This afternoon, I got the following email from the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation, which addresses my post: The Presidential election and the week following has brought the deep divides in this nation to a head, … Continue reading How Can We Build Common Ground? – Part 2
