Joshua N. Weiss

Joshua N. Weiss is currently the Associate Director of the Global Negotiation Project at Harvard University. He received his Ph.D. from the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR) at George Mason University in 2002. Dr. Weiss has spoken and published on negotiation, mediation, and systemic approaches to dealing with conflict. In his current capacity he conducts research, consults with many different types of organizations, teaches courses on Negotiation, Mediation, and Conflict Management and Resolution, and practices the art and science of negotiation at the interstate, intrastate, and organizational levels.

Ronald S. Kraybill

Dr. Ronald S. Kraybill is a professor in the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University. He was training adviser 1993-1995 to the South African National Peace Accord, a structure created by political leaders to deal with violence during the political transition in South Africa. In recent years he has been involved in peace efforts in India, Sri Lanka, Burma and Guyana. He publishes Paxblog, a blog of alternative views on national security and peace on his website, Riverhouse ePress. Contact Ronald S. Kraybill Website: riverhouseepress.com

Articles:

On Religion and Violence: Step Back George, Step Forth, People of Faith
Just as many in the West believe there is threat from the Muslim world, large numbers of Muslims believe a vast threat to their beliefs and their way of life exists from the West. Fearful people on all sides easily find disturbing gestures from the other side and hold these up as indicators of the future. We are at a grave pass. What to do?

Skills for Transformative Group Facilitation
The single biggest factor in determining whether a meeting is rewarding or disappointing is the skill of the leader. Unfortunately, skills for facilitating meetings are rarely taught. People seem to assume that white hair, or a good education, or the title of CEO, chair, reverend, etc., somehow equips leaders with skills adequate to lead meetings.

Conflict Transformation in an Age of Terrorism
America has invested lavishly and narrowly in hammers. As a consequence, the mightiest nation in history responds simplistically to a problem of vast complexity. Rather than examine the full extent of the evil mess created by decades of destructive interaction between ourselves and others, we choose responses that under-estimate the gravity of our situation. We satisfy our need to act, but our children will bear the cost, for the problems will grow far worse on the long-term. 5 Comments

The Wall and 'Supply Side Security'
It's time to move past "do-we-or-don't we shell Saddam" to the stuff burning holes in our hearts. Let's name what we're really after. Isn't it security, to know that when we say good-bye to our families in the morning we'll live to say hello again over the dinner table at night? To know that our kids get to have grandkids someday.

Dr. Ronald S. Kraybill is a professor in the Center for Justice and

Noa Zanolli

Dr. Noa Zanolli is Swiss, a teacher/trainer, cultural anthropologist, mediator/facilitator, and consultant. She was the former director of education and research at the Iowa Peace Institute and worked in conflict resolution and mediation education, primarily in Europe and the U.S. She has also worked for many years in international development, humanitarian assistance, and peacebuilding, primarily in Africa. She has recently published a short fictitious dialogue: I have a Dream: A Conversation between President George W. Bush and Sheikh Osama bin Laden (ISBN: 978-0-595-50299-8 (pbk) and ISBN: 978-0-595-61455-4 (ebk). The Shifting Grounds of Conflict and Peacebuilding: Stories and Lessons, a memoir written by John W. McDonald, Chairman of the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy, with Noa Zanolli has just been published by Lexington Books (Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group), .

The First Conversation between President Barack Obama and President Mahmoud Ahmadinedjad
In the series of private and fictitious conversations among presidents and among state and non-state leaders that see each other as adversaries or even as enemies, comes this imagined dialogue between President Obama and President Ahmadinedjad. It takes place on Saturday, February 14, 2009 at the U.N. in Geneva. 2 Comments

Listening to the Language and the Voices of Terrorists
What is terrorism telling us? What are terrorists saying with their horrific deeds? What grievance do these voices express—justified or not? 8 Comments

To Talk Or Not To Talk With The Enemy, That Is The Question
President Bush and his secretary of state, Senators McCain, Clinton and Obama, and President Carter as well, have been embroiled in a debate about the level-headedness of talking to the enemy. The outcome of this debate will be decisive for the two remaining presidential candidates.

Luis Miguel Diaz

Luis Miguel Díaz fathered four children and distrusts language, theories and authorities including his own as a father. Admires artists and scientists and their lives. He received his Law Degree at UNAM, Mexico (1974); and LLM (1976) and SJD (1986) at Harvard University Law School. President of the Interdisciplinary Center for Conflict Management in Mexico City. Author of more than 100 articles and 15 books. Logic Overpowers Intuition: The Obama WAR!!! President Obama decided to send 30,000 troops to Afghanistan in the next six months and then begin pulling them out a year after. He overlooked negotiation and mediation as effective options to end the war. He insists on what does not function to humanly end a war: war intensification. 3 Comments Regulation Dehumanizes Mediation In searching for certainty and quality in mediation, legislators and regulators are increasingly mesmerized by the enactment of mediation rules and the certification of mediators. I want to ponder the convenience of this proclivity bearing in mind a model of human nature. 4 Comments The Philosophy Of Mediation In Heraclitus And Protagoras The thoughts of two famous Pre-Socratic philosophers may offer insight into the philosophical foundation of mediation: “You cannot step twice into the same river,” attributed to Heraclitus, and “Of all things the measure is man,” attributed to Protagoras. 1 Comment Humor About Mediators, Mediation And Mediated A mediator ridiculing mediation is healthy exercise. With humor any conflict is source of entertainment; clowns are funny because they deal with conflict. 3 Comments WHO Measures Alter Routines: New Opportunities for Conflict Management Resulting from Influenza A (H1N1) Some writers have highlighted the positive impact of the world economic crisis in the growing professional field of mediation. I want to highlight new situations to practice conflict management skills, resulting from Influenza A (H1N1). Marx Unity Of Theory/Practice And Mediation The motivation of this article is first to highlight Marx preoccupation for seeking the unity of theory and practice. The second is to reframe the Marxist unity in the context of mediation as a method dealing with divergent views. Darwin As Conflict Theorist Charles Robert Darwin (1809-82) has reemerged on the 200th anniversary of his birth as conflict theorist.We can learn so much from Darwin since his authority as conflict theorist is insuperable; the core of his work was theorizing about conflicting forces of nature. To follow are Darwin’s thoughts as recorded in his own words. Mediated More Than Mediator And Mediation This composition was triggered by Barry Goldman’s article: Not even wrong. He believes that in ADR we are making the same mistake that medicine did for centuries. The mistake is the excessive preoccupation for the spiritual purity of the facilitator. Goldman wrote about the evolution of medicine: the belief in the necessity of ritual purity delayed for centuries the discovery of antisepsis. Taxi: Paraíso para mediación Este artículo toma la forma de una pieza de teatro de un acto. Es un diálogo espontáneo entre dos seres marginales en la sociedad tradicional –una anciana y un joven. Intenta articular ideas fundamentales sobre procesos cognitivos en el manejo de conflictos. Unlearning And Learning From Freud For Negotiated Solutions This essay is inspired by Sigmund Freud’s persuasive, imaginative and enigmatic writings on mental processes and their meanings. He was the founder of psychoanalysis and is psychology's most famous author. The relevance of Freud’s work is even manifested in popular language which has incorporated expressions that he coined such as “mechanisms of defense” and “Oedipus Complex.” The significance of his legacy remains disputed. Taxi: Heaven For Mediation Taxi is a small and little known society on Earth where humans unlearned the belief that authorities and rules were necessary for conflict resolution. Roberta who is an old and attractive woman has an informal and straight forward conversation with Ivan a young and inquisitive man. Both are open minded people. 5 Comments Centro de justicia alternativa de la ciudad de México: testimonios de un curso alternativo sobre mediación Esta composición es un testimonio colectivo de quienes participamos en el curso Nuevas Tendencias en Mediación, diseñado para el Centro de Justicia Alternativa del Tribunal Superior de Justicia del Distrito Federal (CJA) bajo la orientación del Centro Interdisciplinario para el Manejo de Conflictos AC (CIMC), y que tuvo lugar en abril de 2008. Animals’ Behavior As Source For Unlearning And Relearning Strategies For Conflict Prevention And Resolution There may be much for humans to learn by examining, the similarities rather than differences and the patterns of animals’ behavior in conflict situations. A succinct review of animals’ behaviors in conflict follows. Pele: An Inspiration For Teamwork In Negotiated Solutions Team work lies beneath negotiated solutions of complex problems. This article focuses on Pele who is regarded as the greatest soccer player of all times. No team sport evokes the intuitive drive for team work as soccer, where all eleven players of a team must cooperate. Soccer requires improvisation from the players to solve the strategic necessities of the soccer field. Can we learn from Pele processes for team work? 2 Comments Einstein’s Tips For Negotiated Solutions In Human Conflicts Albert Einstein was considered one of the great problem solvers of his generation. His remarks about the universe query scientific and conventional wisdom. Can we discover in his life and innovative beliefs any attitude, aptitude, method or skill suitable for a conflict solver who intervenes in human conflicts? 1 Comment Solución negociada de conflictos complejos con arte: Picasso, Chaplin, Wittgenstein y los Beatles La creatividad en el arte es semejante a la creatividad requerida para explorar soluciones en la resolución de conflictos complicados, que se caracterizan por estar estructurados en una amalgama de diversos elementos: el tiempo, la carencia de normas útiles para predecir resultados futuros; las dimensiones multifacéticas en espacio y tiempo que existen más allá de lo meramente lineal y el simple deber ser, la causa-efecto o el precedente-consecuencia; el involucramiento de múltiples actores y autoridades, así como los diferentes valores y opiniones sobre un mismo asunto. Negotiated solutions of complex problems with art: Picasso, Chaplin, Wittgenstein and the Beatles This essay intertwines the creative endeavors of Picasso, Chaplin, Wittgenstein, and the Beatles---Picasso’s genius for painting; Chaplin’s genius for film making; Wittgenstein’s genius for philosophical remarks; and the Beatles’s genius for songs---to show how artistic and philosophical creativity can be utilized in reaching negotiated solutions for complex problems. We can learn much from art. A person may expand his or her knowledge of conflict management through art appreciation. Art depicts universal experiences that may be appreciated by all and may serve to educate us about creative processes. From Luis Miguel Diaz Mediate.com has become the leading promoter of mediation. Quality, creativity and flexibility are adequate words to refer to mediate.com. I am very proud of being a contributor. Management Of Environmental-Social Conflicts In Mexico Social rejection of developmental projects that impact the environment is becoming more common in Mexico. There is a demand for negotiators and conciliators rather than warriors. There should be persuasion towards dialogue between the leading players in a conflict. 1 Comment The Beatles and Mediation This article shows the utilization of Beatles songs as a tool for sensitizing participants in mediation. The selected music contains a minimum of references to talents and strategies of thinking, feeling and behaving that may be very appropriate in the preparation and conduct of mediation. It is addressed to both the parties and the mediator. 1 Comment The U.S. Uniform Mediation Act and the Draft UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Conciliation This article provides an overview of the Uniform Mediation Act (UMA) and of the Draft UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Conciliation (Law). Both were adopted in 2001. Wittgenstein and Mediation The legal conflict solution activity takes place in a similar vein that Wittgenstein approaches philosophical problems, "… they are solved, rather, by looking into the workings of our language, and that in such a way as to make us recognize those workings: in despite of an urge to misunderstand them. The problems are solved, not by giving new information, but by arranging what we have always known. 1 Comment Negociar o Mediar, No Litigar Se propone cambiar el enfoque clásico jurídico para resolver conflictos. Hay que popiciar la comunicación entre los disputantes. Nadie puede ser imparcial. Se muestra como puede operar la mediación y como ésta puede ser el modo más humano para la solución de conflictos. Hay que deaprender el derecho. La verdadera alternativa al litigio es el recurso al mediador, cuando la negociación entre las partes no funciona. Más vale un buen arreglo que un mal pleito. Mediation in the Year 2051! A Social Science Fiction looking at the future of dispute resolution. A merging of technology and human interactions to create a new resolution option. Mediación Computarizada Sustituye Tribunales Civiles! !Mediación Computarizada Sustituye Tribunales Civiles! Aún cuando hasta hace pocos años parecía algo inconcebible, el nuevo software ALCom monopolizará el mercado interpersonal de resolución de conflictos. Está basado en una revolucionaria tecnología que será accesible y estará al alcance de todo el público. El programa logra una muy completa comunicación intuitiva entre las partes en una disputa. Se cumple el ideal de Sócrates sobre el papel del maestro: guiar y ayudar a los estudiantes para que lleguen a descubrir la verdad mediante sus propios esfuerzos. La AICom aspira a humanizar la administración de justicia". ¿Es esto lo que ofrece el futuro? Wittgenstein Y Mediación Las soluciones a disputas legales requieren de una actividad similar al enfoque de los problemas filosóficos de Wittgentein, no con nuevos hechos " ... sino que se resuelven mediante un entendimiento del funcionamiento de nuestro lenguaje, y justamente de manera que éste se reconozca: a pesar de una inclinación a malentenderlo. Los problemas se resuelven no aduciendo nueva experiencia, sino comprendiendo lo ya conocido". En el mundo legal el papel del mediador en relación con las partes en conflicto, sería equivalente a "mostrarle a la mosca como salir de la botella cazamoscas

Feature articles on terrorism:

6/10/2009 - (NaturalNews) In observing the outrageous acts of doctors who have turned 13-year-old Daniel Hauser and his mom into "fugitives from the law" over their refusal to submit to toxic chemotherapy treatments, I began to wonder whether existing U.S. law covers...

Tyrannical FTC Threatens Christian Church with Imprisonment for Selling Dietary Supplements 1/13/2009 - (NaturalNews) The FTC has unleashed a new assault against both dietary supplements and religious freedoms by targeting a Christian church for termination. Through exclusive interviews and conversations with health freedom attorney Jim Turner (http://www.naturalnews.com/Index-Podcasts.html),...

Health Ranger Offers Thirty-One Predictions for 2009 - Health, Economy, Terrorism and More 12/1/2008 - (NaturalNews) Making public predictions about the economy, terrorism, politics and health care is always risky business. There are too many variables to track with much certainty, and nobody has a crystal ball that really works. But by looking at the...

Engineering Warfare: A Close Look at Biological and Chemical Warfare 2/20/2008 - (NaturalNews) In this article, we will take a closer look at biological and chemical warfare from a global perspective as well as the use of pesticides and insecticides and how they helped pioneer these deadly toxins used in modern warfare and bio-terrorism...

Thinking For Yourself Is Now A Crime 1/7/2008 - What was the greatest failure of 2007? President Bush's "surge" in Iraq? The decline in the value of the US dollar? Subprime mortgages? No. The greatest failure of 2007 was the newly sworn in Democratic Congress. The American people's attempt in...

Maryland Health Officials Who Coerce Vaccinations Qualify as "Terrorists" Under New Senate Legislation 11/30/2007 - As we reported yesterday, the U.S. Senate is about to vote on a bill that would criminalize the "planned use of force" to promote a political, religious or social belief. While we strongly disagree with the passage of the law, one curious effect is that...

Senate Bill 1959 to Criminalize Thoughts, Blogs, Books and Free Speech Across America 11/28/2007 - The end of Free Speech in America has arrived at our doorstep. It's a new law called the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act, and it is worded in a clever way that could allow the U.S. government to arrest and incarcerate any...

Chlorine gas shipped to municipal water treatment facilities could be terrorist target 9/3/2007 - (NaturalNews) A report by the nonprofit research group Center for American Progress (CAP) has identified the chlorine used by water treatment plants as a major national security vulnerability. In a report released on the same day as the Department of...

Battery display devices mistaken for terrorist bombs 2/1/2007 - Boston is in an uproar this week after stupid people dialed 911 upon spotting "threatening looking" devices planted in various locations around the city. What was threatening about the devices? They had wires and batteries. Oh yeah, and they were...

Poll: Many Americans think government's terrorism investigations are violating privacy rights 12/16/2006 - (NaturalNews) According to a poll released Tuesday by the Washington Post and ABC News, two thirds of Americans feel the FBI and other federal agencies are stepping on citizens' right to privacy in the course of investigating terrorism. The survey...

CounterThink roundup: fictional terrorism, body armor bills, and education (satire) 3/17/2006 - Major news networks have now resorted to FICTIONAL images of buildings being blown up by terrorists to scare Americans into supporting the Bush war empire. A few weeks ago, Bush played the terrorist card and declared that domestic spying had stopped...

Protect your health (and your thyroid) with potassium iodide in case of a nuclear emergency or terrorism event 10/12/2005 - Like September 11, 2001, the 2005 terrorist attacks in London once again reminded the Western hemisphere that even the countries that wield tremendous military power are not immune to terrorism. Though the London attacks did not involve nuclear weapons,...

Following deplorable attacks in London, pharmaceuticals are still more deadly than terrorists 7/7/2005 - Just days after we posted an article on the dangers of pharmaceuticals vs. terrorism, London was hit by a terrorist attack that left 37 dead and hundreds more wounded. Headlines around the world are ablaze with news of the event. National leaders are...

Statistics prove prescription drugs are 16,400% more deadly than terrorists 7/5/2005 - America was rudely awakened to a new kind of danger on September 11, 2001: Terrorism. The attacks that day left 2,996 people dead, including the passengers on the four commercial airliners that were used as weapons. Many feel it was the most tragic day...

Disease-promoting ingredients in everyday foods and groceries are far more dangerous than terrorists 2/20/2005 - Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson resigned recently, and part of his outgoing statement included a warning to Americans that terrorists would strike the food supply. His words were "I can't believe terrorists haven't attacked the food...