February 2016, Volume 10, Issue 4

A Publication of the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University


	The Islamic State: An Experiment in Self-Fulfilling Dynamics Dennis Sandole In 1928, the American sociologist W.I. Thomas uttered the words, “If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences.” This gave rise to the Thomas Theorem and, through the reframing of sociologist Robert K. Merton (1948), the “self-fulfilling prophecy” (SFP): The self-fulfilling prophecy is, in the beginning, a false definition of the situation evoking a new behavior which makes the original false conception come true. This specious validity of the self-fulfilling prophecy perpetuates a reign of error. For the prophet will cite the actual course of events as proof... Full Article
	Conflict Resolution in Indigenous Communities of Oaxaca, Mexico Martha A. Galicia Osorio In the summer of 2015, I spent two months practicing conflict analysis and resolution in two communities in Oaxaca, Mexico: Zimatlán de Lázaro Cárdenas and San Sebastián Nopalera. These neighboring communities are part of an “ejido”- a community dotation of land granted by the Mexican Federal Government. Zimatlán has plain and humid lands where several tropical fruits can be grown while Nopalera is located in mountain lands. Zimatlán and Nopalera also had old relationships, even some family ties; however due to the limitation of land in the region, these communities finally had... Full Article
	Celebrating the Power of Art that Builds Peace in Tunisia Sarah Kincaid In fall 2015, the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution (CRDC) hosted an art contest titled Imagine Tunisia. The goal of the contest was to support the creation of imaginative art that promotes peace and nonviolence. The winner of the contest, Ghassen Elhani, is a 30-year-old photographer who lives in Monastir, Tunisia and his submission focused on the role of Tunisian women in building Tunisia’s future. “Tunisian women are part of our future,” Elhani says. “Their struggle for equality, peace, freedom, and the hope to fulfill their dreams, are what I'm trying to show with this... Full Article
	Barbarism v Civilization? Paris, Beirut, and Beyond Sarah Federman In November 2015, the Center for Narrative and Conflict Resolution hosted an event titled, Barbarism v Civilization? – Paris, Beirut, and Beyond. This event was framed around the question of whether recent attacks represent not a clash of civilizations as Samuel Huntington posited, but rather a clash between what John Rawls calls the Society of Peoples versus Rogue States. The barbaric acts target Arab and Western Civilization alike so clearly the battle is not so simple as... Full Article
	Spotlight: Alice Peck, MS Alumna Buzz McClain When Alice Peck came to the United States two years ago from England to work on her master’s degree in conflict analysis and resolution, she had visions of using those skills at the United Nations or at a peace-building outpost in an exotic locale.  One afternoon on Washington, D.C.’s Metro changed all that.   “I was coming out of Union Station and was struck by all the people who are homeless right outside of the station,” she said. “And I was thinking, ‘Here I am in the capital of the world’s wealthiest, most powerful nation and yet…’  “How is... Full Article
	Building Resilience in the Middle-East Amidst Terror Alma AbdulHadi - Jadallah Many people would argue that the Arab world is facing unprecedented waves of violent extremism. Victims and targets have included ordinary people of all ages – men and women, girls and boys, civil and military personnel and institutions, and foreigners residing in or visiting the region. In 2015, Syria’s on-going crisis escalated, resulting in a large-scale exodus of Syrians. In addition, countless violent confrontations between religious and ideologically motivated extremist groups, the Syrian Government of Bashar al Assad, and the Syrian Free Army continued. In Tunisia, the attacks against... Full Article