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The Lessons from South Ossetia: Respect MattersWe in the conflict resolution field knew what needed to change to prevent a war over South Ossetia or Abkhazia, yet the course towards war continued. Preventing future unnecessary wars requires us to share our insights so broadly that we bring about a fundamental shift in the way the world thinks about international relations. The war in South Ossetia shows we need to shift popular thinking away from the doomed project of a Pax Americana to what I call a Pax Respect us, that is, international relationships based on a fundamental respect for all people's needs and dignity. A mutual lack of respect between Georgians and the Abkhaz and South Ossetians contributed to the emergence and continuation of... |
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Why Media Matters at ICARAs the Russian tanks rolled into the city of Poti, Georgia, pundits emerged in the media, providing perspectives on the history of the conflict in the region, its relation to oil, and its context vis-a-vis global politics, providing predictions on the success of the mediated agreement. While certainly interesting, most of this analysis reinforces and intensifies existing polarizations in the region and in the world. There is little in the way of analysis or recommendations that address the long-term transformation of this conflict. We need "conflict resolution"... |
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ICAR-OAS Summer Workshops Conflict Processes in Latin America and the CaribbeanInequality,resource distribution, political disarray, class, poverty, protracted social conflict, structural violence—this is not a list of subjects for a lecture. It is the reality of the conflicts in Latin America and the Caribbean. The specifics of the resolution of those conflicts have become the projects that 14 Latin American and Caribbean academics and practitioners brought to the Institute in June 2008.For the sixth time, the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR), in partnership with the Organization of American States (OAS), held its summer workshop with scholars and professionals from all over Latin America and the Caribbean. ... |
Upcoming ICAR Community EventsFor more info on events, email [email protected] September 13: October 18: Entire events listing available at... |
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ICAR Graduate Orientation Welcomes 121 New StudentsThe Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR) welcomed over one-hundred new faces to its community last week during its annual new student orientation. The occasion spanned three days beginning with the Certificate Student Orientation and ending in a two-day session designed for M.S. and Ph.D. students. This year's incoming students featured a diverse group of individuals with varied interests and backgrounds. One of these students is James Filipi, incoming M.S. student from Omaha, Nebraska. James commented on his journey here to ICAR, "I had taken an amazing class in Religion, Violence and Conflict Resolution, and happened to run into the professor at a human rights lecture. I told him what I wanted to study and... |
Recent ICAR Articles, Op-Eds and Letters to the EditorThe Lessons of the Russian-Georgian Conflict Future for Ossetia Can We Envision and Build a Peaceful Caucasus? The War in Georgia |
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New Books Dilemmas of Modernity Dilemmas of Modernity provides an innovative approach to the study of contemporary Bolivia, moving telescopically between social, political, legal, and discursive analyses, and drawing from a range of disciplinary traditions. Based on a decade of research, it offers an account of local encounters with law and liberalism. Mark Goodale presents, through a series of finely grained readings, a window into the lives of people in rural areas of Latin America who are... |
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Franklin DukesDr. Franklin Dukes, a Ph.D. graduate from the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR), is an experienced facilitator, trainer, and mediator in the environmental conflict field. In 1990, Frank became the Director of the University of Virginia's Institute for Environmental Negotiation (IEN), which is committed to building a sustainable future for communities in Virginia and beyond and provides mediation and consensus building services concerning the natural and built environments. Along with a research component, IEN has substantial training in conflict resolution; two years ago a manual on collaboration was developed and supported by environmental advocates and conflict practitioners.... |
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Hosein Tarabeih
As an environmental engineer, Hosein Tarabeih is adamant about enriching the conflict resolution field. As an Arab-Israeli, Hosein researches news method to manage environmental disputes at the local level. On sabbatical, serving as a visiting scholar at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR), the focus of Hosein's work is to manage environmental conflicts in Israel, a task that Hosein notes is very complicated due to the strenuous ties between Arabs and Israelis. Hosein believes a culture of co-existence can be formed through a hybrid model, composed of Western elements along with traditional Arab/Israeli methods. Specifically, Hosein would like to... |
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Graduate Certificate Celebration at POVThis year's graduating certificate class at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR) gathered at Point of View on August 3 for an afternoon of reflection and celebration of their achievements. The graduate certificate program director, Mara Schoeny, addressed the graduates along with their friends and family members. Students completed their certificate track with a field-based project. Projects this year included: assisting the countywide Arlington County Diversity Dialogue Initiative, an El Salvador War College Seminar Facilitation: Foundations for Effective Crisis and Consequence Management, and the design and delivery of a Risk Communication and Conflict Resolution training program. The graduate... |