Podcasts about Conflict transformation

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In Everyday Guardians, the podcast series of the Securing the Future of Space campaign, we speak with the people who are helping to build a more resilient, sustainable and secure orbital environment - whether through technology, policy or ethical leadership. Securing the Future of Space is underwritten by the American Space Exploration Fund. In the second episode, we hear from Dr. Alina Utrata, political theorist and Career Development Research Fellow at St. John's College, Oxford University. Dr. Alina Utrata is a political theorist focusing on the politics of technology corporations and currently a Career Development Research Fellow at St John's College, Oxford University. She received her PhD in Politics and International Studies at the University of Cambridge as a Gates-Cambridge scholar, where her research examined how Silicon Valley companies have come to amass forms of political power through their control of technological regimes. Alina grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she received her BA from Stanford University in History with a minor in Human Rights, and her MA in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice from Queen's University Belfast as a Marshall Scholar. In her free time, she hosts and produces the podcast The Anti-Dystopians, the politics podcast about tech.

This week, we're so glad to be sharing a conversation with our friend Chad Ford.Chad is a conflict mediator, peace educator, and associate professor of religious studies at Utah State University. He's spent decades working in some of the most entrenched conflict zones in the world—from the Middle East to South Africa to Northern Ireland. He's also the author of a new book called Seventy Times Seven: Jesus's Path to Conflict Transformation, published by Deseret Book. The book explores a question that feels more urgent than ever: how do we follow Jesus as peacemakers in a world so often shaped by fear, division, and violence?Our conversation with Chad moved from the personal to the global—from tensions in families and faith communities to the devastating conflicts we see on the world stage. And through all of it, Chad points back to Jesus as a radical model for how to live, engage, and help transform the world around us.Chad reminds us that Jesus's path is anything but passive. It doesn't mean disengaging or avoiding hard conversations. It means choosing to engage with both courage and compassion. It means refusing to meet harm with more harm, and instead walking a path that invites healing, reconciliation, and transformation.That kind of peace doesn't come quickly—or easily—but it's the kind of peace that can change lives and communities. Chad offers a vision of Christianity rooted in Jesus' ministry of reconciliation—not in dominance or defensiveness, but in the slow, often difficult work of restoring wholeness.He helped us see that the peace Jesus offers isn't always the peace we want—but it's the peace we need. And when the way forward feels impossible, he reminds us that part of discipleship is learning to make a way out of no way.And with that, here's our conversation with ChadSeventy Time Seven

In this episode of Gateways to Awakening, host Yasmeen Turayhi explores the transformative power of imagination and storytelling with Fabrice J. Guerrier, a Haitian-American writer, futurist, and founder of the award-winning Syllble Studios—a groundbreaking sci-fi and fantasy production house championing collaborative worldbuilding. Fabrice shares his inspiring journey from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to becoming a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and The Root 100 influential African American. With a background in International Affairs and a Master's in Conflict Transformation, his work merges creativity, culture, and social impact to reimagine the future of storytelling. In this episode, Yasmeen and Fabrice dive into: ✅ Why Fabrice believes "Imagination will save humanity" and how this belief shapes his work. ✅ The unique process of collaborative worldbuilding and how Syllble Studios is transforming storytelling. ✅ The role of speculative fiction in addressing real-world issues and envisioning solutions. ✅ How creativity can promote mental well-being and heal individuals and communities. ✅ The intersection of art, storytelling, and conflict transformation in shaping societies. Fabrice also shares insights on the evolving role of AI in creative fields, his vision for inclusive collaboration in Hollywood and publishing, and exciting upcoming projects from Syllble Studios. Tune in to Gateways to Awakening and discover how collective creativity and imagination can reshape our world. Please tag us and tell us what you loved! You can follow @Gateways_To_Awakening on Instagram or Facebook if you'd like to stay connected.  If you'd like to join the waitlist for my next Intuition and coaching program, sign up @ www.InnerKnowingSchool.com Thank you, and as always we appreciate reviews on Apple

In this episode of Getting to Aha! Host Darshan Mehta engages Hawah Kasat, a global humanitarian and co-founder of One Common Unity, in an inspiring discussion about the transformative power of moments. Hawah shares his journey, shaped by his early travels, passion for peacebuilding, and commitment to fostering connection through education and the arts. They explore themes of personal growth, critical thinking, meditation, and thriving beyond survival, offering listeners powerful insights into living with purpose and curiosity.

Palestinian performance artist Riham Isaac discusses her site-specific performances, which understand performance as a medium for change. She shares insights into her pieces like Stone on Road and the profound symbolism of resistance in Palestinian art. Kunafa and Shay is a podcast produced for HowlRound Theatre Commons by co-hosts Nabra Nelson and Marina Johnson. Kunafa and Shay discusses and analyzes contemporary and historical Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) and Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) theatre from across the region. Kunafa and Shay highlights MENA/SWANA plays and theatremakers, spotlights community-engaged work in the region and diaspora, and analyzes the past, present, and future of MENA/SWANA theatre in the United States and beyond. Theatre artists and scholars Nabra Nelson and Marina Johnson bring their own perspectives, research, and special guests in order to start a dialogue and encourage further learning and discussion. The name, Kunafa and Shay, invites you into the discussion in the best way we know how: with complex and delicious sweets like kunafa, and perfectly warm tea (or, in Arabic, shay). Kunafa and Shay is a place to share experiences, discuss ideas, and sometimes engage with our differences. In each country in the region, you'll find kunafa made differently. In that way, we also lean into the diversity, complexity, and robust flavors of MENA/SWANA theatre. 

Corona war auch in der unserer Gemeinschaft in Sieben Linden eine große zwischenmenschliche Herausforderung. Auch wir hatten das ganze Meinungsspektrum an Bord und die Nerven lagen teilweise blank. Nun sind die Corona-Maßnahmen Vergangenheit und das Gemeinschaftsleben hat sich wieder normalisiert. Doch unter der Oberfläche tragen einzelne Menschen noch Wunden aus der Zeit mit sich herum. Ein gewisses Befremden anderen gegenüber ist geblieben oder sogar einige ungeklärte Konflikte, die noch leise brodeln. Da wir lernen müssen, mit Krisen umzugehen, haben wir es also angepackt – anders als der Bundestag, der ganz aktuell wieder eine Corona-Aufarbeitung in Form abgelehnt hat. Wir luden im November 2024 Emil Allmenröder und Yasmina Steck für eine Woche ein, unsere Gemeinschaft als Moderator:innen auf diesem Weg zu begleiten. Im Podcast-Interview antwortet neben Sophie Willert aus Sieben Linden auch Yasmina Steck, die als Psychologin, Gestalttherapeutin und Friedensmentorin schon reichlich Erfahrung mitbringt zu Corona-Dialogen. In dieser Folge geht es nicht um eine inhaltliche Debatte rund um die Corona-Maßnahmen. Wir sind hier in Sieben Linden aktuell selbst noch nicht an diesem Punkt angekommen, sondern haben unsere Zeit und Energie ersteinmal der zwischenmenschlichen Ebene gewidmet. Denn erst, wenn diese entspannt ist, werden wir konstruktiv auf die kontroversen Sachfragen schauen können. Nur Mut! Auch für deine Corona-Nachwehen kannst du Ansatzpunkte finden – geh in Gespräche mit einem deeskalierenden Mindset und einem offenen Ohr. Organisiere Austausch-Formate, die eine klare Leitung haben. Schaut auch in die Show-Notes, hier gibt es hilfreiche Websites und Materialien. ----- Zum Nachhören: Der Podcast „Geimpft/ nicht Geimpft – miteinander leben im Ökodorf“ aus dem Januar 2022 mit Sophie und Henning: https://siebenlinden.org/de/folge-24-sophie-geimpft-und-henning-nicht-geimpft-miteinander-leben-im-oekodorf/ Yasmina Steck https://www.yasminasteck.org/ Vorlage für Corona-Gespräche auf Yasmins Website: https://www.yasminasteck.org/corona-dialoge Emil Allmenröders Mailadresse: Emil@funkenflug.de  Daniel Auf der Mauer, Conflict Transformation (u.a. Methode „Loopen“): https://www.aufdermauer.name/ Vivian Dittmar (u.a. Methode „Entladen“): https://viviandittmar.net/ Podcast mit Roman Huber (Gemeinschaft Schloss Tempelhof, Vorstand Mehr Demokratie e.V.): https://terra-nova.earth/magazin/news/neuer-terra-nova-podcast-mit-roman-huber/ Buch von Roman Huber und Claudine Nierth: Die zerrissene Gesellschaft: https://www.mehr-demokratie.de/nachrichten/einzelansicht/heute-in-kluturzeit-auf-3sat-die-zerrissene-gesellschaft-1 Nächste Seminare in Sieben Linden zu verwandten Themen: 17.-19. Januar 2025: Vivian Dittmar: Lebensweise Basisseminar: Einführung in die Arbeit von Vivian Dittmar ... in einer Zeit, die uns alle (auf)fordert, lebensweise zu werden. https://lernort.siebenlinden.org/de/22a2808d07e0463e8f8e390d99e13170/lebensweise-basisseminar-einfuhrung-in-die-arbeit-von-vivian-dittmar 2.-7. März 2025 Erfahrungsraum mit Lino Zeddies (Reinventing society, Autor von Zukunftsbilder 2045) und Valentin Abe: Lebendiger Gesellschaftsdialog. Verbundenheit, Verständnis und Heilung für gesellschaftliche Spaltungen. https://lernort.siebenlinden.org/de/065495c481ff429e8d3f7f1dbf8e79bb/erfahrungsraum-lebendiger-gesellschaftsdialog Autorin: Simone Britsch Mail: podcast@siebenlinden.org Interviewpartnerin: Yasmina Streck und Sophie Willert Veröffentlicht unter der Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0) Copyright Freundeskreis Ökodorf e.V., 25.11.2024

Today, we bring you a conversation with Susan Sgorbati, Director of the Center for the Advancement of Public Action at Bennington College. In conversation with Lida Winfield, the undergraduate pillar head of the CT Collaborative and dance professor, Susan shares insights from her journey as a dance artist and educator, and how the principles of dance improvisation inform her work in conflict mediation and social justice. They explore how embodied practices, active listening, and improvisational skills can foster collaboration and create transformative change in both artistic and social contexts. Sgorbati is the former Dean of Faculty and holds the Barbara and Lewis Jones Chair for Social Activism. In 2018, Sgorbati co-founded the Transboundary Water In-Cooperation Network (TWIN) with Dr. Asim Zia.  TWIN works with communities on six continents in the major river basins of the world. She is also a partner with the African Centre for Climate Action and Rural Development in moving a new Convention forward on Saving the River Deltas for the United Nations (UNCCRD).  In collaboration and conversation with scientists, Sgorbati named a form of improvisation, 'emergent improvisation' and wrote a book called, "Emergent Improvisation: On Spontaneous Composition Where Dance Meets Science".  She also co-founded "Quantum Leap" a program that connected public school students to their education who were at risk of dropping out of school. Over 2000 students participated in this program. Sgorbati completed two projects for the US State Dept. Art in Embassies with Sarah Tanguay and Jon Isherwood, who collaborated with a student collective in creating two public art installations for the new US Embassy in Oslo, Norway and for the new US Consulate in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This is a re-posting of an episode from Lida Winfield's podcast, Making Embodiment Visible. Learn more here: https://www.lidawinfield.com/podcast.html Learn more about Susan Sgorbati here: https://www.bennington.edu/academics/faculty/susan-sgorbati Many thanks to Teyonce Allison, Brett Simison, and the CT Collaborative staff for editorial support.

In this episode, my guest is a teammate, conflict transformation facilitator, organization transition coach, and dairy farm partner from Chihuahua, Mexico, Crisol Gonzalez. Tune in to hear our discussion on how being aware of and taking personal responsibility for the role you play in conflict is crucial for success. We explore what the Karpman Drama Triangle has to do with dysfunctional dynamics in an attempt to bring awareness to what roles you and your farm family members may be playing to contribute to conflict. Additionally, we discuss the work of Dr. Marshall Rosenberg and nonviolent communication, the difference between an emotion and a feeling, and a range of useful tools for conflict resolution. Access the full show notes for this episode at elainefroese.com. Discover more about our guest: Crisol Gonzalez Elaine Froese Resources: Watch this episode on YouTube. SPEAKING - book Elaine for your next event COACHING - find your Farm Transition Coach MEMBERSHIP - become a Farm Family Harmony Member RESOURCES - download for FREE   CONTACT - take the next steps in your transition  BURNING QUESTION? Submit it here for Elaine or her coaches Timestamps 0:00:30 Introduction Crisol Gonzalez  0:01:18 Karpman Drama Triangle  0:04:23 Who in your farm family is playing the ‘victim' role? 0:06:15 Why the ‘villain' gets nothing accomplished in family meetings 0:07:37 How to get everyone to the table  0:08:27 Women are tired of being the mediator in the middle 0:10:55 Getting triggered quickly 0:11:13 Dr. Marshall Rosenberg and nonviolent communication 0:11:47 Crisol's work in the local school system  0:12:36 The difference between an ‘emotion' and ‘feeling' 0:15:45 The Conflict Dynamics Profile 0:17:50 Writing it out before talking is a powerful tool 0:21:59 Using voice notes if you don't like to write 0:22:55 Asking permission before offering feedback 0:25:03 Conflict Basics 101 and dysfunctional dynamics 0:28:30 Having each other's back  0:29:36 Are farm women getting what they need? 0:30:34 The Farm Family Transition Membership and breakout rooms

As the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election draws nearer, the VAUMC will share resources with the conference on topics ranging from how to have hard conversations to the impact on community organizing and advocacy in light of the current social and political climate, a climate that local churches and individuals must navigate as people of faith. In this conversation, Rev. Jacob Alan Cook, Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics and Co-Director of The Shalom Collaboratory at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, talks with Madeline White, VAUMC Director of Communications, on conflict transformatio

Send us a textWe all want peace, but the road toward it can be elusive. Our perceived differences loom large and seem insurmountable. Yet, some individuals like Lisa Worth Huber labor tirelessly to educate people about the self-work required to build peace and understand how the creative arts are a vehicle to express our stories, heal, and begin to bridge with others. This work takes moxie! It's granular and slow yet rich and rewarding, leaving Lisa with hope for building a family, community, and world where all are seen and valued. Peace provides a platform for all of us to flex our moxie, free from fear and able to devote our energies to being part of building something larger, not exhausting ourselves in pits of division.Lisa serves as President of the National Peace Academy. She is on the board of directors and faculty of the Global Peace Education Network (G-PEN), which currently works in partnership with UNESCO. She is a member of the Advisory Council for the Connecticut Center for Nonviolence, where she is a mentor to teaching artists pursuing their certification in Kingian Nonviolence. Lisa designed, implemented, and served as Academic Director for Connecticut's first accredited MA program in Peace and Conflict Transformation, and was a member of the international Launch Team for the Global Sustainability Fellows program, a trainer for the UnGUN Institute: Collective Trauma Healing Through the Arts, and an adjunct professor of Sociology at Western Connecticut State University.Additionally, Lisa has been a teaching artist for several decades, working in universities, K-12 classrooms, homeless shelters, and safe houses, and is the first recipient of the Frank McCourt Prize for Excellence in Teaching.  Along with designing and implementing nonviolent and peacebuilding programs, Lisa incorporates the arts to elevate voices, address injustice, heal trauma and PTSD, nurture compassion, and imagine new futures. Lisa blends story in its myriad forms with peace, humanitarian, social justice, and environmental concerns, and nurtures the development of creative activism and ecological stewardship.This episode of Main Street Moxie is proudly sponsored by Main Street Magazine.ResourcesLisa Worth Huber National Peace AcademyUnGUN InstituteGlobal Peace Education NetworkGlobal Sustainability Fellows programBridging Differences | Greater Good Science CenterSupport the show

In this episode of Flirtations, we welcome Allison KT on the show to help take on some of the most crucial aspects of dating that will help you date with much more clarity, confidence, and calm! We start off by break downing what boundaries are, how you will use them in your dating life, and why you need them! Boundaries will be one of the cornerstones of your dating journey. But we couldn't stop there. Cuz when it comes to setting boundaries, you'll also need communication skills, conflict resolution tools, and likely some strategies to work through people pleasing habits and thoughts! We have got you covered today as we get into ALL of this. And if you're an empath (and people pleaser) like us, you know first hand how intense the dating process can be! What can you do when you feel EVERYTHING rather intensely? How do you manage your energy? (Spoiler alert:  we'll talk about energetic boundaries here!) The link to the Instagram LIVE mentioned in the episode! Now I invite you to turn up the volume and enjoy this episode of Flirtations! About our guest:  Allison KT is an IPEC and ICF certified coach, Reiki Master, and EFT tapping practitioner here to help her fellow recovering people-pleasers feel confident standing up for themselves and setting boundaries. She also has a degree in Psychology & Conflict Transformation and loves using her holistic boundary setting approach to help people see difficult conversations differently. In her work as The Grounded Empath she runs the Sacred Self-Care Community and offers a range of coaching programs helping people learn how to set boundaries that feel like loving self-protection. Outside of this, she's also a competitive powerlifter and group fitness instructor. Take the What Type of People-Pleaser Are You? quiz here and use code FLIRTY30 here to get 30% off her guided ebook and journal to prepare for difficult conversations! You can also find her on IG here: https://instagram.com/the.grounded.empath About your host:  Benjamin is a flirt and dating coach sharing his love of flirting and BFE - big flirt energy, with the world! A lifelong introvert and socially anxious member of society, Benjamin now helps singles and daters alike flirt with more confidence, clarity, and fun! As the flirt is all about connection, Benjamin helps the flirt community (the flirties!) date from a place that allows the value of connection in all forms - platonic and romantic connection - to take center stage and transform lives for greater healing and ultimately, a deeper connection with the self. You can connect with Benjamin on Instagram, TikTok, stream the Flirtations Flirtcast everywhere you listen to podcasts (like right here!), and find out more about working together 1:1 here.

Send us a Text Message.Spencer A. Murray is the Founder and Executive Director of NO HARM, National Organization for Healing and Redefining Manhood. He is a speaker, writer, minister, and conflict transformation practitioner who specializes in working with men and boys as it relates to unhealthy ideas of masculinity, and how these ideas contribute to violence towards self, women, and the community.He is a former educator with Detroit Public Schools where he taught at Paul Robeson Academy, an African-Centered School, and the Academy of the Americas, a Dual Language Immersion School. He holds a Master of Arts in teaching from Wayne State University, a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from New York Theological Seminary, where his focus of study was Conflict Transformation. His doctoral work focused on the systemic influence of patriarchy in religion, and its tendency to oppress and perpetrate violence towards women. Based on his dissertation, Spencer published his first book, Conspiracy of Silence: Religious and Patriarchal Roots of Violence Towards Women.He is currently a Violence Prevention Consultant, as well as a Certified Family Violence Intervention Practitioner in the state of Georgia, where he intervenes with men to disrupt abusive behaviors. As a skilled facilitator, Spencer encourages accountability while inviting men to transform their thinking about themselves, women, and manhood. In addition to his harm reduction work, he is also an Adjunct Professor in Emory University's Candler School of Theology, where he teaches the introductory course, Skills in Conflict Transformation. As a Restorative Justice Consultant with the Georgia Justice Project, Spencer creates spaces for healing, restoration, and an awareness of our shared humanity.In this episode, Spencer shares a poem about his near suicide and the choices he made as part of his transformation.His years of experience working with men and boys, as well as his own journey to free himself from the prison of toxic masculinity, drives his passion to lead men to a deeper understanding of themselves - an understanding characterized by a reverence for the feminine aspect of creation. Spencer is convinced that a man who has true knowledge of self, will strive do no harm.Spencer lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife, Erica Parks Murray.Support the Show.Donate – CelesteFrazier.com

Many of us would rank getting along with colleagues as an important aspect of work, but, as Amy Gallo explains, relationships devoid of disagreement can actually be less productive. “While our natural human instinct is to avoid conflict, I believe that conflicts are not only an inevitable part of interacting with other humans, but they're a necessary part.”Gallo is a workplace expert, host of HBR's Women at Work podcast, and the author of Getting Along: How to Work With Anyone. Across her work, Gallo touts that the key to transforming conflicts into something productive is to understand its root cause and learn how to reframe them. “Even at the base of those unhealthy conflicts or those unproductive conflicts is something that needs to be resolved,” she says. In her conversation with host and strategic communications lecturer Matt Abrahams, Gallo provides useful frameworks and new concepts on how we can approach conflicts at work. Episode Reference Links:Amy Gallo: Website Amy Gallo's Books: Website Amy Gallo's Podcast: Women at WorkEp.132 Lean Into Failure: How to Make Mistakes That Work Website / YouTubeConnect:Email Questions & Feedback >>> thinkfast@stanford.eduEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn Page, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInStanford GSB >>> LinkedIn & TwitterChapters:(00:00:00) IntroductionMatt Abrahams introduces guest Amy Gallo, a workplace expert on communication and conflict.(00:01:00) The Role of Conflict in the WorkplaceThe benefits of conflict in professional settings and why not having enough conflict can be detrimental.(00:02:26) Facilitating Effective ConflictStrategies for creating productive conflict and the importance of normalizing conflict.(00:04:45) Frameworks for Navigating Unhealthy ConflictDetailed framework for addressing and transforming unhealthy conflicts into productive discussions.(00:11:56) The Power of Workplace FriendshipsHow workplace friendships can enhance job performance and personal satisfaction.(00:14:01) Balancing Friendships and Professional BoundariesAdvice on maintaining effective relationships without compromising professional integrity or favoritism.(00:16:53) The Final Three QuestionsAmy shares a conflict she handled effectively, a communicator she admires, and her recipe for successful communication.(00:20:01) ConclusionSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TK Pooe & Lukhona Mnguni | The TK Show In this episode, TK speaks with political maverick Lukhona Mnguni. They explore Lukhona's journey as a political commentator, delve into the difference between neutrality and objectivity, and discuss why Lukhona rejects the label “political analyst.” The conversation also addresses the fearmongering around the so-called “Doomsday Coalition” between the ANC and the EFF, examines how polling can be manipulated to advance political agendas, and envisions what South Africa might look like beyond the 2024 elections. TK Pooe (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Witwatersrand School of Governance; his main fields of research are Public Policy themes such as Local Economic Development, Law and Development, Scenario Planning and Thinking, and Failure Analysis. Over the last ten years, he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University's Government Studies Programme, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia, he worked in various government institutions as a Public Policy research consultant. Twitter LinkedIn Lukhona Mnguni is a governance, politics and development specialist and currently serves as the Acting Executive Director and Head of Policy and Research at the Rivonia Circle. He has also played in the politics broadcasting space, having hosted a flagship show: Power Talk on POWER987, a commercial radio station in Gauteng Province and recently, On the Spot with Lukhona Mnguni on eNCA. He holds a Bachelor's in Community and Development Studies and an Honours degree in Conflict Transformation and Peace Studies, both achieved cum laude from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Lukhona completed his MSc in Africa and International Development at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2015.  Twitter Rivonia Circle Subscribe to our Substack.   Follow us on Social Media: YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram   Subscribe to the Discourse ZA Podcast: iTunes Stitcher Spotify RSS feed  

The concept I want to present today is the Six Dimensions of Conflict, which comes up in Chapters 2 and 3 of The Crossroads of Conflict by Ken Cloke. Ken has a model where he breaks down conflict and how we approach it into six areas, and then looks at that sextet from 4 different angles: - Orders of Resolution - Math/Geometry - Location in the body - Mediation style

Somia Sadiq is a peacebuilder and entrepreneur focused on Conflict Transformation. Our conversation was so wide-ranging I thought it would be worth a brief rundown of what we covered:   - Resilience and Fasting - Definitions: Settler and Newcomer -  Identity politics - Ancestral guilt and shame - How to approach history (and history of oppression) without guilt - The role of public apologies - The limits of apologies - The necessary components of an apology - intentionality - acceptance of harm - remorse - how it impacted you - Description of traditional mediation in Punjab (from her grandparents' house) - Highlights from William Ury's The Third Side: Community as the Conflict Management System - What makes something feel fair? - Is taking sides ethical? - How do global conflicts affect our individual experience? - What do people mean by "trauma-informed"? - The Mice and the Cherry Blossoms Experiment - Trauma vs Agency and Free Will   While it was a stellar interview, I have to say my favorite moment was her story at the end. Listen for it.    

This episode features selections from a September 2022 talk at Middlebury by John Paul Lederach, with an introduction from Middlebury president Laurie Patton.  John Paul Lederach is globally recognized for his pioneering theory and practice in the field of conflict transformation (CT). Lederach is senior fellow at Humanity United and professor emeritus of international peacebuilding at the University of Notre Dame. He is also the co-founder and first director of the Eastern Mennonite University's Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. Our work at Middlebury has been inspired and enriched by Lederach's work and by his personal example of hope and generosity. In September 2022, he was the keynote speaker at the college's Clifford Symposium. He serves on the Middlebury CT Collaborative External Advisory Board.  His 2005 book, The Moral Imagination, identifies risk taking, curiosity, creativity, and a relational focus as key dispositions for constructive engagement in conflict.  Thanks as always to our team of interns and staff who edit and produce these episodes. Special thanks to Caroline Harding for selecting powerful parts of Lederach's talk! https://www.middlebury.edu/conflict-transformation/who-we-are#external-advisory-board  

Dr. Michele DeMarco, an award-winning writer and author of Holding Onto Air: The Art and Science of Building a Resilient Spirit. Michele is a trained therapist, clinical ethicist, and researcher. Her research includes moral injury, psychology, trauma, neuroscience, and somatic and creative art therapies, world wisdom and spirituality. She has taught Creative Nonfiction and Conflict Transformation at California Institute of Integral Studies. We focus on the subject of Michele's series: How to Tend and Befriend Conflict. If we accept conflict is natural and necessary, what transformation becomes possible? We explore the errors of conventional conflict resolution, how to connect to the body's wisdom, detecting underlying issues, defense mechanisms, and the five conflict styles. We then go deeper into the nuances, such as accommodating other points of view without losing integrity, opening to feedback, and giving and receiving grace. I found our conversation immensely invaluable and I'm sure, if you're also human and struggle with other humans, you will too. Enjoy! Resources and References: Michele's website: https://micheledemarco.com/ Psychology Today blog ‘Soul Console': https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/soul-console Medium blog: https://michelejdemarco.medium.com/ Book: Holding Onto Air: The Art and Science of Building a Resilience Spirit Conflict Styles Assessment Tool: https://www.usip.org/public-education-new/conflict-styles-assessment

After a long break, I'm grateful to be sharing a new recording with Ethan exploring a wide range of topics, from how we can envision the more beautiful future our hearts know is possible, to grieving the world events, to IFS and trauma healing, and more. Ethan can be reached at (207)-338-5719. The Possibility Alliance mailing address is:85 Edgecomb RoadBelfast, ME 04915Tucker Walsh can be reached at possibilitynowpodcast@gmail.com Music by Gavin Leeper

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week's episode is like the jetway bridging me between my two locations this week. From my Continental base in Accra, South Sudanese-Ethiopian-American, Nyamal Tutdeal, who is a conflict resolution and healing practitioner, joins us again to talk about, among other things, one of her homelands--Ethiopia, where I found myself (in Addis Ababa) for the weekend. Many may recall meeting Nyamal on the podcast prior to her move to Accra (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/nyamal-tutdeal), and now after a nearly two years, she's an “Accra-an.” With over a decade of work experience under her belt, Nyamal has developed and managed various programmes related togender, peace, security, and antiracist/race relations. She is a staunch advocate for women's empowerment, human rights, refugees, immigrants, displaced communities, and the fight against early child marriage. Nyamal is a Co-Director and Co-Founder of the NyaEden Foundation. She also works as an Adjunct Professor at both Arcadia University and Webster University in Ghana, where she provides academic support and teaches Introduction to Human Rights, Refugee and Migration Movement, Advocacy, NGO and Civil Society at Webster University Ghana campus. Nyamal is also involved in teaching Conflict Transformation, Restorative Justice, Mediation, and Conflict Coaching in the International Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) program at Arcadia University. Prior to her relocation to Ghana, Nyamal served as the Director of Equity and Inclusion for CORA Services. Nyamal has a B.A. in Human Relations and an M.A. in International Peace and Conflict Resolution. Nyamal is now at the head of her own consultancy, The Nyamal Group (https://nyamal.org) which she launched this year. Where to find Nyamal? On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyamal-tutdeal-a76b44b3/) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/nyamal_tutdeal/) On X (https://twitter.com/maltutdeal) On Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/mal.tutdeal) Shades of Injera (https://www.instagram.com/shadesofinjera/?hl=en) What's Nyamal reading? Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad (https://a.co/d/cUyiDaP) by Damilare Kuku What's Nyamal watching? About Star Wars (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars) and the Ashoka TV Series (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahsoka_(TV_series)) Other topics of interest? About the Nuer People (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR5Qr1oRLuw) Demographics in Ethiopia (https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/ethiopia/) Civil Conflict in Ethiopia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_civil_conflict_(2018%E2%80%93present)#:~:text=In%20November%202021%2C%20the%20Somali,in%20Ethiopian%20territory%20to%20date.) On Empire, here are some articles that analyze empire and colonization as major drivers of present-day inequality: "The Empire of Inequality: Introduction" by Himadeep Muppidi - Discusses how colonial empires created enduring global inequality through exploitation, extraction of wealth, and imposition of power structures. "The Long-Run Effects of the Scramble for Africa" by Stelios Michalopoulos and Elias Papaioannou - Economic analysis finding that artificial colonial borders continue to impact economic development and inequality across African nations today. "The Colonial Origins of Comparative Development: An Empirical Investigation" by Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James A. Robinson - Research arguing colonialism set up institutions that continue to affect world inequality. "Imperialism and Colonialism" by Battiston et al. - Reviews how empires led to concentration of wealth and power for imperial nations that remains evident in 21st century global inequality. “How Western Colonization Launched Capitalism with Violence and Ruin" by Nicholas De Genova - Discusses direct links between violent colonization, slavery, genocide and the rise of global capitalism and inequality. “The Impact of Colonialism on African Economic Development” by Joshua Settles - Analysis of economic exploitation, extraction of resources, and disruption of existing systems during European colonization of Africa. SAD - Seasonal Effective Disorder (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/seasonal-affective-disorder#:~:text=SAD%20is%20a%20type%20of,seasonal%20affective%20disorder%20(SAD).) 54th NAACP Image Awards (https://naacp.org/events/54th-naacp-image-awards) Sheryl Lee Ralph's dress (https://wwd.com/pop-culture/celebrity-news/sheryl-lee-ralph-naacp-awards-red-carpet-2023-dress-1235549800/) and designer, Pistis Ghana (https://www.pistisghana.com) South Sudan's Political Structure (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_South_Sudan) South Sudan's Vice Presidents (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vice_President_of_South_Sudan#:~:text=The%20vice%20president%20of%20South,2020%20creating%20five%20vice%20presidents.) and Fourth VP, Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_Nyandeng_De_Mabior) About Hope Resoration South Sudan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_Nyandeng_De_Mabior) About the South Sudanese Civil War (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Sudanese_Civil_War#:~:text=The%20South%20Sudanese%20Civil%20War,attempting%20a%20coup%20d%27%C3%A9tat.) About South Sudan's Minister of Interior, Angelina Teny (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelina_Teny) Bella Afrik in Accra (https://www.bellaafrik.com) The Mix Accra (https://www.themixdesignhub.com) Special Guest: Nyamal Tutdeal.

If ever there were a need for empathy, it is now. Listening to the news about what's going on around the world, it feels as though humanity is fragmenting right before our eyes. Empathy is the glue that holds humanity together. Empathy reminds us to nurture life through connecting with one another in kindness and compassion. Empathy is one of the most powerful tools we have to transform conflict into harmony.Welcome to "Scaling the Empathy Wall”, Episode #126 of Co-creating Peace, a podcast about conscious communication and conflict transformation.On Nov. 4th, I will host the 3rd in a series of Empathy Summits produced by the Center for Building a Culture of Empathy. Please join me for this free online Empathy Summit – "Why is Empathy Essential in Conflict Resolution?" We'll hear from 5 international conflict resolution experts, then participate in Empathy Circles dialogues with other summit participants. To learn more and to register, visit https://www.empathysummit.comDenise Blanc, joins me to talk about how curiosity and inquiry can help us to scale that invisible, but oh-so-daunting wall that seems to divide us from the people around us so that we can discover and remember the beauty of our shared humanity. Together we explore how we can find the commonalities that are the foundation for empathy by starting conversations with clear intentions, asking questions that take us beneath the superficial, and acknowledging others to help them to feel seen and appreciated.Gems you'll want to harvest:Connecting well with others begins with intention & curiosityFinding what we share in common helps build a foundation for empathyAcknowledging and asking open questions helps find our commonalitiesThe wisdom that comes from initiating a “pattern interrupt” “Interrogating” your biases can help you reality-test and transcend themDenise Blanc, MA, EQCC, ACC is a communication expert, Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach, Facilitator, and Mediator. She coaches, teaches, and writes at the intersection of Emotional Intelligence, Conflict Transformation, and Mindfulness. Denise is the founder and CEO of River Logic Partners, a leadership coaching and consulting firm.  She is the author of RiverLogic: Tools to Transform Resistance and Create Flow in all of our Relationships described as “a deeply insightful guide to living in the presence of conflict - fluidly, with equanimity, caring and skill.” Denise's commitment is to inspire candor, courage, and compassionate communication in creating a more caring world.You can learn more about Denise Blanc and her book “RiverLogic: Tools to Transform Resistance and Create Flow in all of our Relationships” by visiting www.riverlogictools.comPlease support Co-creating Peace: Subscribe to Co-creating Peace on your favorite podcast provider Send me your ideas for topics and guests or be a guest to talk about your communication or conflict resolution challenges and receive free communication coaching Share on social media & tell the world about Co-creating Peace! Become a patron at www.patreon.com/CocreatingPeace Visit BridgesofPeace.com to learn more about Kathleen and her work.

Mx. Yaffa is an award-winning disabled, mad, trans, queer, Muslim, indigenous Palestinian. Mx. Yaffa conducts transformative work around displacement, decolonization, equity, and centering lived experiences of individuals most impacted by injustice. Mx. Yaffa is a storyteller and an equity and transformation consultant, having shared their story with over 100,000 audience members at speaking events globally. Mx. Yaffa has worked in over two dozen countries, and specializes in global and community vision building. Mx. Yaffa is an engineer, with a specialty in sustainability and social engineering, a peer support specialist, and an equity and transformation consultant. Mx. Yaffa utilizes peer support as a foundation for all their work, supporting peer-run spaces in organizational capacity building, equity, and sustainment. Mx. Yaffa brings together engineering, peer support, and trauma to support their vision of more equitable and accountable communities that lead to individuals' self-actualization. Mx. Yaffa is the Founder of several non-profits and community projects, such as CT Mutual Aid, and Life in My Days, an international non-profit that supports individuals and their communities on their journeys for self-actualization through mutual aid, transformative justice, and disability justice. For the last few years, Mx. Yaffa has also been a Master Recovery Educator, facilitating the RI Peer Support Certification training nationally to certify individuals as Peer Support Specialists. Additionally, Mx. Yaffa is an Equity Coach with Sustainable CT, supporting municipalities in the State in engraining equity practices into any sustainability work. Mx. Yaffa has a MA in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice from Queen's University Belfast, a Childhood Traumatic Stress graduate certificate from the Boston Trauma Center, and a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from WPI. Mx. Yaffa currently serves as a board member for TransLifeline and is the previous co-chair of the International Association of Peer Supporters board. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jamarr-jabari/support

“Our ‘find a way' was to find people who would be willing to walk with us as we walked with communities.”-Somia SadiqIf your business is on the brink of rapid growth, friend, this is an episode for you. In today's episode of The Road To Seven Podcast, I have a great conversation with Somia Sadiq, an entrepreneur who founded and built Narratives Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in territorial planning and impact assessment. We talk about everything from what your team expects from you as your business grows, to how to find support as the leader of a company that grew incredibly fast within a five year period.Somia and I also chatted about the evolution of her leadership which I think will be especially useful for those of you who are currently experiencing rapid growth in your companies. I know you'll get a lot out of this episode, so pop those earbuds in and hit play!In‌ ‌this‌ ‌episode,‌ ‌you'll discover:The power of relationships for rapid business growthHow leadership styles evolve over timeThe importance of leaning on mentors and advisorsAbout Guest:Somia Sadiq is a Certified Environmental Professional (EP) and a Registered Professional Planner (RPP), specializing in Impact Assessment, Conflict Transformation, Negotiations, Peace building, and Trauma-Informed approaches.Somia is the founder of Narratives Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in territorial planning and impact assessment, and the founder of Kahanee, a non-profit organization that leans on stories and storytelling for positive peacebuilding. Somia and her husband also just started an RV campground in Manitoba called Base Camp 59.Somia's work is informed by a keen interest in creating space, respect and voice for multiple knowledge systems, and understanding psychosocial barriers to peace and conflict transformation, particularly dynamics of Identity, Othering, Framing, and Trauma.Highlights:‌ ‌00:01  Intro03:02  Meet Somia03:22  Somia's business journey11:45  Experiencing rapid growth16:22 Somia's leadership style evolution19:39 The challenges of remaining “people first”23:12 Slow changes in DEI25:40 What Somia knows nowLinks:‌Narratives Inc Website: www.narrativesinc.comMy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/somia-sadiq-0b21596a/Base Camp 59 Website: www.basecamp59.caTo work with me and make your next power move, visit:https://theroadtoseven.comLike what you're hearing? Click here to follow on Apple Podcasts for more episodes to boost your Road to Seven today! I have more episodes with great tips and conversations with women that are revolutionizing the way we do business - don't miss it!You can also join the Road To Seven Facebook group to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs who want to band together and help each other rise up.I would be really grateful if you left a review on iTunes so that others can find and boost their business too! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review”.Instagram: @shelaghcumminsTwitter: @shelaghcumminshttps://facebook.com/ShelaghCumminshttps://linkedin.com/in/shelaghcummins

Exploring the research of Batja Mesquita and other cultural psychologists and social psychologists, this episode examines how emotions are enacted between humans. Challenging the US-centric worldview that emotions are only within an individual, Mesquita notes that emotions are continuously enacted within culture and relationships. Our podcast contrasts differences in Japanese orientations with amae, omoiyuri, and haji or shame. Drawing upon research on happiness, we examine how happiness has changed over time and how happiness differs across cultures. Within Latin American cultures, notions of simpatía and familísmo construct happiness as relational and go-with-the flow agreeableness. The episode concludes with an examination of the relevance of emotions to conflict transformation and the importance of approaching emotional disconnects with a spirit of empathy, perspective taking, and curiosity.The Music & Peacebuilding Podcast is hosted by Kevin Shorner-Johnson at Elizabethtown College. Join our professional development network at www.musicpeacebuilding.com - thinking deeply we reclaim space for connection and care.

Read and Sign our Petition to Proclaim the Full Resurrection Story on Easter Sunday: https://futurechurch.org/petition Preaching for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Caitlin Morneau offers a reflection on reclaiming connectedness: "Forgiveness is fundamentally an individual act, but with social implications. Every harm has repercussions, rippling impacts through time and community. Really living into the fullness of forgiveness means moving toward as full a reclamation of human dignity and communion as possible. When this becomes the way in which we move and live and have our being, suddenly seven times seventy becomes far more attainable — not a heroic act for the few. But we cannot do it alone. We need to encourage one another daily. And build up systems (legal and otherwise) that create vessels for mercy and grace to shape the labor of justice itself." Caitlin Morneau serves as Director of Restorative Justice at Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN), the national Catholic organization working to end the death penalty and promote restorative justice through education, advocacy and prayer. Caitlin is a Bernardin Scholar at Catholic Theological Union where she is completing a MA in Ministry with a concentration in Spirituality and holds an MA in Conflict Transformation from the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University. Caitlin is a facilitator of peacemaking circles and trained in restorative community conferencing. She lives in Alexandria, VA with her husband, two children, and black lab. Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/09172023 to learn more about Caitlin, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.

Welcome to the Opening Up podcast series, a new effort from the Conflict Transformation (CT) Collaborative at Middlebury!  Many people hear the word conflict and pull away, because they think of the harm that can come from destructive conflict. Yet conflict is part of the human experience, and constructive conflict can enrich our relationships and communities. This lens on conflict informs the field of "conflict transformation," and helps us understand the value of engaging across our differences.  The Conflict Transformation (CT) Collaborative at Middlebury is a major new initiative that seeks to use this lens on conflict to expand our work on intercultural communication, dialogue, restorative justice, and beyond. Middlebury is a global educational institution, and CT programs are being expanded at the College in Vermont, the Institute in Monterey, CA, at the Bread Loaf School of English, and in our Schools Abroad.  Our first two episodes are hosted by Sarah Stroup, director of the CT Collaborative and a political science professor at Middlebury. In Episode 1, we introduce you to the field of conflict transformation through the words of leading practitioners and scholars that have visiting Middlebury in our first year. 

Welcome to the Opening Up podcast series, a new effort from the Conflict Transformation (CT) Collaborative at Middlebury!  The Conflict Transformation (CT) Collaborative at Middlebury is a major new initiative that seeks to expand our work on critical self-awareness, conflict analysis, intercultural communication, dialogue, restorative justice, and beyond. Our first two episodes are hosted by Sarah Stroup, director of the CT Collaborative and a political science professor at Middlebury. In Episode 2, we introduce you to the faculty and staff who are designing the new projects and programs at Middlebury. Middlebury is a global educational institution, and CT programs are being expanded at the College in Vermont, the Institute in Monterey, CA, at the Bread Loaf School of English, and in our Schools Abroad. 

Today we're excited to share an episode from the Latitude Adjustment Podcast looking at the role Christian Zionism plays in continuing persecution of Palestinians. Eric Maddox completed his graduate research in Conflict Transformation from Dheisheh Refugee Camp in the Occupied West Bank, collecting oral histories from the 1948 War. He is the founder and director of the Palestine Podcast Academy, and the host of Latitude Adjustment Podcast. He interviewed Rev. Dr. Don Wagner, a friend of Mondoweiss, and expert on Christian Zionism. From Latitude Adjustment's show notes: While there have been different strains of Christian Zionism dating back to the Sixteenth Century, the most politicized, powerful, and violent iteration of the movement has its roots in the contemporary Christian Evangelical Church. Modern Christian Zionists hold that the ethnic cleansing of roughly 750,000 Palestinians from their homes in historic Palestine in 1948 by Jewish Zionists was the fulfillment of a Biblical prophecy in which the so-called Holy Land must be resettled by the Jewish people in order to usher in the return of Jesus Christ as the messiah. Modern Christian Zionism is distinct from the modern form of political Zionism that arose amongst the European Jewish community in the late 19th Century. Don Wagner is a Christian theologian, a former minister, and author. He received a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry degree from McCormick Theological Seminary. He is also author of, "Glory to God in the Lowest: Journeys to an Unholy Land". If you want to hear more from the Latitude Adjustment Podcast and the Palestine Podcast Academy, check our show notes for links. - - - - - Support our work Help us continue our critical independent coverage of events in Palestine, Israel, and related U.S. politics. Donate today at https://mondoweiss.net/donate Articles and Links mentioned in the show Don Wagner's articles at Mondoweiss Latitude Adjustment Podcast Glory to God in the Lowest: Journeys to an Unholy Land, Don Wagner Subscribe to our free email newsletters. Share this podcast Share The Mondoweiss Podcast with your followers on Twitter. Click here to post a tweet! If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Podchaser and leave us a review and follow the show! Follow The Mondoweiss Podcast wherever you listen Amazon Apple Podcasts Audible Deezer Gaana Google Podcasts Overcast Player.fm RadioPublic Spotify Stitcher TuneIn YouTube Our RSS feed We want your feedback! Email us Leave us an audio message at SparkPipe More from Mondoweiss Subscribe to our free email newsletters: Daily Headlines Weekly Briefing The Shift tracks U.S. politics Palestine Letter West Bank Dispatch Follow us on social media Facebook Mastodon Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn  

Solutions to Violence features Ira Grupper and Russ Vandenbroucke. Their topic is the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Russ Vandenbroucke earned his doctorate of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama and has worked as director, dramaturge, playwright and producer at regional theatres across the country. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Australia, and a Rotary Foundation World Peace Fellow in Thailand, where he adapted and directed the play, An Evening with Global Peacemakers. Dr. Vandenbroucke was the founding director of the University of Louisville's Peace, Justice & Conflict Transformation program. He last visited Israel and the Occupied Territories of Palestine in 2016 through the American Research Center. Ira Grupper has been a political activist for over 60 years. He has been a teacher of Civil Rights and the history of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Ira is a Bellarmine emeritus professor and has been conducted into the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame. Ira Grupper has traveled throughout Israel and the Palestinian territories. He has served as cochair of the New Jewish Agenda which has 5000 members. Ira has been involved in labor, disability and human rights movements covering those issues as a journalist.

Rex Miller shares insights on overcoming conflicts and fostering effective communication in today's Reflections episode. By encouraging direct conversations and avoiding assumptions, managers can step back and allow team members to address conflicts themselves. Rex introduces "NIMSU" - "No Information, Make Shit Up" - an acronym capturing a tendency to fill in the gaps by creating assumptions and narratives when faced with differing perspectives, fueling misunderstandings and conflicts. Through a personal story with his son, Rex emphasizes the value of understanding individual energy drains and communicating to prevent assumptions. Turn conflicts into catalysts for growth through active listening, open-ended questions, and by avoiding narrative-building without verification. Tune into this episode to learn how to navigate differences by reframing conflicts and discover the power of effective communication to foster a culture of understanding and empathy.

Claire de Mézerville López and co-host Kaleigh Mrowka welcome Laura Mack to the Restorative Works! Podcast as part of our higher education series.   Laura speaks about the difference between using restorative methods in higher education spaces versus K-12 education. Navigating the transition between teenagerhood into young adulthood requires high support and high accountability. This allows students to sharpen skills that will be most important as emerging adults in the world outside of college. She describes how she engages students facing conduct issues by first building rapport and letting that student know that their individual experience is important to understanding the conflict they are addressing. She helps to foster a sense of community on her campus by proactively using a restorative framework with her staff and students.   Laura Mack is the Associate Director of Student Accountability and Conflict Transformation at Moravian University. Her understanding of restorative practices occurred as a residence life hall director, and, after her initial training, she expanded her knowledge of the work and applied it to much of her life. Today, she takes pride in her work at Moravian University, helping college students recognize their actions' impact on the greater campus community and training faculty and staff on how utilizing a restorative framework can create opportunities for a truly engaged community. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master's in Counselor Education from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.

Today's guest is Denise Blanc, a Senior Organizational Development Consultant, Mediator, and Emotional Intelligence Coach.  With over two decades contributing to the field of Organizational Development as an Executive Coach, Facilitator, and internal Senior Leader, Denise teaches that leadership is about the ability to manage relationships, navigate social networks, and influence and inspire others.  She has coached CEO's, Executive Directors and Managers in healthcare and business, and her key areas of focus include:  Leadership Development, Emotional Intelligence, DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion,) and Conflict Transformation.  And her book, RiverLogic: Tools to Transform Resistance and Create Flow in all of our Relationships, brings together some of the best thinking from across the domains of neuroscience, mindfulness, and emotional intelligence into a single work.LINKSRiverLogic: Tools to Transform Resistance and Create Flow is all of our Relationships (Book)RiverLogic Tools WebsiteTo help support our show, visit:https://www.buzzsprout.com/2017272/supportFor additional management resources and information, please visit us at:  https://managementworksmedia.com You can email us at:  managementworks@managementworksmedia.com Support the show

Scott Meyer has a very unique background. He has a master's degree in Philosophy, Peace, and Conflict Transformation and he now works in the world of AI. He's the perfect guest to come speak about what's happening currently in education and how we can prepare ourselves for the future. Scott emphasizes the importance of embracing one's uniqueness and taking the "weird route" in life. He also talks about the potential for AI in education. Scott Meter writes, teachers, and consults on AI adoption across industries. He's a Rosetta Stone for making complex tech understandable and useful. He created Five Minute AI (http://fivemin.ai/.), providing quick tutorials to help people live well and work smart with AI. His courses apply AI in specific industries such as non-profits, creative agencies, and education. You'll find him exploring the future of learning and AI through podcasts, essays, and videos at Ed3.gg. Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com. Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Find out more about Kevin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstoller/ For more episodes of the Better Learning Podcast, visit https://www.betterlearningpodcast.com/ Who made this episode possible? Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) - https://www.a4le.org/ Education Leaders' Organization - https://www.ed-leaders.org/ Second Class Foundation - https://www.secondclassfoundation.org/

Episode 63 is a big one for us! We're joined by Leeron Tal Dvir (CDC) and Reb Ezra Weinberg. On this episode we talk about celebration a B-Mitzvah in divorceland from a professional as well as a personal perspective. And we share about how the process is going or has gone for all of us, and our families. How do we handle the stress leading up to it? How do we handle planning responsibilities, honors on the day of, and the emotional labor of it all? What if i'm dealing with an uncooperative ex and a high conflict divorce? And what's the best I can realistically hope for on this special day?    Guest Bios: Leeron Tal Dvir CDC - Leeron Tal grew up in the San Fernando Valley to Israeli parents. She comes from an eclectic background working in Entertainment Public Relations, Marketing, Special Events and Community Development she is most passionate and has 15 years of experience working in the Jewish Community as Child Development Educator, most recently as a Preschool Director and Parenting Facilitator.  When seeing so many marriages fall apart around her in 2021 during the pandemic, she decided to study and become a Certified Divorce Coach through the International Divorce Coach Centre of Excellence. Leeron started My Divorce Concierge in August 2022 and is completely fulfilled from helping others. She provides a service she wished she had for herself in the beginning stages of her challenging divorce.  In addition to coaching, Leeron in back working in the Jewish Community as the Director of Events & Programing at Adat Ari El in Valley Village. She lives in Burbank where she is heavily involved with the City of Burbank. She lives with her two young boys, Micah and Liam and enjoys spending time with her family, salsa dancing, creative writing and RV camping.   Reb Ezra Weinberg - Whether he is working as a shaliach tzibur, a Jewish educator, a songleader or a Jewish camp professional, Reb Ezra's role in the Jewish community and beyond always comes back to his ability to lift spirits and create community. He is the Founder of ReVoice - a Journey of Discovery for Jewish Families Going Through Divorce.  He also officiates weddings and Bnai Mitzvot, he teaches courses on connecting to Jewish prayer and he helps communities get unstuck around the topic of "Israel."   He teaches a course at Fairleigh Dickinson University, alongside a Priest and an Imam called, “One G-d, Three Paths.” He is a native Philadelphian and holds an MA in Conflict Transformation.  

In this latest episode William is joined by Samantha Hardy to discuss the Fundamentals of Conflict Coaching. Samantha is the principal of Conflict Coaching International, and the Director and Lead Trainer for CCI Academy. She is an experienced mediator and conflict coach and the founder of the REAL Conflict Coaching System™. Sam has been accredited as a mediator under the Australian National Mediation Accreditation System and is a Certified Transformative Mediator by the US Institute of Conflict Transformation. She is a Certified Narrative Coach. In 2021 Sam was awarded the Australian Resolution Institute Award for Service to Dispute Resolution for her leadership and innovation in the field. She was also awarded 2022 Conflict Coach of the Year at the Australian Dispute Resolution Awards. Sam holds a PhD in Law and Conflict Resolution, as well as other postgraduate qualifications in adult education. Sam has also published widely in conflict resolution, including her books Dispute Resolution in Australia, Mediation for Lawyers and Conflict Coaching Fundamentals: Working with Conflict Stories. Listeners will gain many valuable insights from this episode as Sam and William explore the topic of Conflict Coaching together and the benefits it can bring to the workplace and the mediation process.   Find out more about the work Samantha does here https://www.cciacademy.com/

An East Tennessee native with Appalachian roots like Mary Kingsley, Jonathan McRay shares his day-to-day as he works in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. With an MA in Conflict Transformation and Restorative Justice, Jonathan has worked with Vine and Fig, Speakers Collective of Soul Fire Farm, and the Cambium Collective. He founded Silver Run Forest Farm along with his partner Cornelius Deppe, where he grows plants and is committed to cleansing the pollutants from our souls, society, and soil. An advocate of land care, transformative racial justice, and renewable energy sources, Jonathan sits down with Mary and Emma to discuss how his love of trees started it all, restorative justice, and collective land trusts. Topics Discussed • Appalachian tradition of "planting by the signs" • How a Childhood in Central Appalachia Fostered a Love of Land • The Riparian Nursery • Collective Land Trusts and Decommodification of Farm Land • Restorative Justice, its Critiques, and How to Practice It • Questions to Ask Ourselves; What's Happened Here, Whose Responsibility is it to Make it Right, Who Needs to Participate to Bring Healing, and What are the Root Causes? • Food Sovereignty and Ecological Restoration, • Storytelling through Plants & Honoring Their Indigenous Partners • Uprooting Racism in the Food System Trainings • Land Ownership and Food System's White Supremacist Roots • Supporting Black Farmers • Mariame Kaba's Hope & James Hal Cone's Whose Earth Is It Anyway? • The False Idea of Human Supremacy over Nature • Jonathan's Native Plant Nursery & Folk School • Agroforestry • Watershed Health Episode Resources: Follow Jonathan McRay on Instagram Learn More About Jonathan Here "The Nature of Community: Restorative Justice and Permaculture" by Jonathan McRay, in the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding Acres of Ancestry "A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things A Guide to Capitalism, Nature, and the Future of the Planet" by Raj Patel  "The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South" by Michael W. Twitty Ishmael by Daniel Quinn Adrienne Maree Brown The Good Dirt: Planning a "Sustainable" Wedding: A Peek Into Our Process The Good Dirt: Planning a "Sustainable" Wedding: A Peek Into Our Process {PART 2} This Episode is Sponsored by Pinetree Garden Seeds! Order their seeds today from superseeds.com and use our promo code: GOODDIRT15 for 15% off your entire order! ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Season 4 Episode 7How to Shut Up, Listen, and Believe"Multicultural relationships are a vaccine to the terrible virus of racism" - Dr. David AndersonHere at Vineyard Columbus, part of our mission statement is to develop multi-ethnic communities of disciples. Multicultural ministry is interwoven into our Christian heritage and guaranteed as the fullness of God's promised Kingdom. It's a big deal to us here on the In-Between. But doing the work of multicultural ministry is much more than fellowship and Sunday morning niceties. Today we're joined by two experts who will be sharing about doing the hard work of building and sustaining multicultural ministry through the art of radical inclusion. Dr. Dave Anderson is the founder and President of Gracism Global- one of the world's leading authorities on bridging the deep divides of race, faith, culture, and wealth. Known as the bridge-building voice in the Nation's Capital, Anderson hosts the daily radio talk show "Real Talk with Dr. David Anderson" – the most listened to Christian talk station on the East Coast. As the founder and senior pastor of Bridgeway Community Church, Dr. Anderson reaches a multicultural congregation of over 10,000 weekly attendees from more than 60 nations, viewed online in over 100 countries, with locations in Columbia and Owings Mills, Maryland. He authored a book, Gracism, The Art of Inclusion, in 2007 which we will be discussing today. We're also joined by Pastor David Heiliger - the director of Gracism Global, a diversity consulting firm committed to equipping transformational leaders for the sake of racial healing. David is also the Pastor of Multicultural Bridge Building at Bridgeway Community Church in Columbia, Maryland, where over 60 different nations are represented in the church body. David graduated from the Center for Justice and Peace-building at Eastern Mennonite University with a Master's Degree in Conflict Transformation. He is training for his first Half Ironman and loves spending time outdoors with his wife, Julie, and their 8-year-old daughter.https://gracismglobal.com/ https://andersonspeaks.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-heiliger-01081939/ https://bookstore.vineyardcolumbus.org/reads/p/gracism-the-art-of-inclusion?rq=gracism

    Slam the Gavel welcomes Michelle MacDonald to the podcast. She is a restorative attorney, circle facilitator, mediator, and trainer since 1986.  After litigating families for 25 years, she founded Family Innocence, a non-profit dedicated to keeping families out of court: resolving conflicts and injustices peacefully.       Thomas Shimota is a seasoned businessman, having owned and operated NAPA auto parts franchise stores for nearly 30 years.  He is volunteer board member and administrator of Family Innocence, a nonprofit dedicated to keeping families out of court: resolving conflicts and injustices peacefully.  Tom is trained in three forms of mediation, with Erickson Mediation Institute, Simon Mediation in association with the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation, Inc (Transformative Mediation), and restorative circle mediation with Family Innocence, where he was also assistant faculty.  Tom has participated in a variety of restorative circle trainings including with the National Association of Community & Restorative Justice. Tom is a family innocence advocate, and has co-facilitated a variety of restorative circle mediations. To Reach Attorney MacDonald and Tom Shimota: http://www.familyinnocence.com/612-554-0932. Some good news to spread , below… S1,E1. ENJOY THE RIDE:RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CIRCLE Mediation Training  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5aXwBQ9Iiw Spread the bird!Familycourt.com is a site dedicated to  abolishing court for families. Our motto:  Don't go to Family Court, go to Familycourt.com !  Our world, and yours, is full of conflicts to resolve, conflicts that strain and drain us both financially and emotionally. If not you, who?  If not now, when?  Learn how to resolve your own conflicts, or help others resolve theirs, or become a qualified restorative justice mediator by participating in  Enjoy the Ride: Restorative Justice Circle Mediation Training -  the movie. While the sitcom, Cheers, was set in a bar,  in this 6 season entertaining Edu-film, you will enjoy the ride in a classroom. One of the most important skills that you have to learn in life is conflict resolution: how to resolve a conflict.  How to restore or reconcile a strained or broken relationship - or you're going to spend a lot of your life miserable. How to resolve conflict at work? in your marriage? if your a parent with children? How to resolve conflict with friends, in the community, at church, in a small group, literally everywhere.  Here's the problem: nobody ever taught you. Nobody.  Until now.  Enjoy the Ride! Call Michelle MacDonald at 612-554-0932 to arrange to audit portions of the course, or become a certified Restorative Justice Circle Mediator through Family Innocence.This episode of Slam the Gavel is sponsored by CPSprotect Consulting Services. A Child Protective Services case is one of the most frightening experiences for any parent. Don't face it alone. Face it with confidence! With UrgentAssist by CPSprotect, you can have access to former CPS investigators to make sure you preserve your rights and protect your family. If you're facing CPS involvement and aren't sure where to turn, their child welfare consultants can help you.  Visit cpsprotect.com/subscribe and enter the coupon code: SlamTheGavel for 10% off your first year of UrgentAssist AVAILABLE in ALL 50 STATES.Web:Supportshow(https://www.buymeacoffee.com/maryannpetri)Support the showSupportshow(https://www.buymeacoffee.com/maryannpetri)http://www.dismantlingfamilycourtcorruption.com/

Tigran Grigoryan, a political analyst and head of the Regional Centre for Democracy and Security, joins Robin Fabbro to talk about the establishment of an Azerbaijani checkpoint at the start of the Lachin Corridor and what it might mean for the future of Nagorno-Karabakh. Lala Darchinova from the Imagine Centre for Conflict Transformation discusses Azerbaijani narratives around the conflict and the role of peacebuilding in achieving reconciliation between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. Read more: Azerbaijan closes Lachin Corridor to install checkpoint PACE rapporteur seeks to visit Lachin corridor Become a supporter at oc-media.org/support_us, or on Patreon.

Kimberly Loh works in the worlds of conflict resolution, coaching, embodiment and mindfulness. She is also the co-author of ‘Compassionate Conversations: How to Speak and Listen from the Heart.' We talk about learning to be aware of patterns we have when it comes to engaging with conflict, and Kim shares some ground rules for having ‘Compassionate Conversations', as well as some really useful self-reflective practices to help us be more conscious of how we show up in conversations, especially ‘difficult' ones. We also cover topics like power, hierarchies, and why human beings rarely learn how to 'do' conflict well. Resources: Kim Loh's website How to order the book ‘Compassionate Conversations' A link to Kim's course, ‘Heart Connections: Strategies for Navigating Conflict & Difference'

There's conflict resolution, conflict management, and conflict transformation. But at the end of the day, conflict is a part of life. It's how we view and embrace the conflict that will either hinder our growth or elevate it. Let's see it as an experience we opt to "struggle well" in. Look up, and let's elevate. https://linktr.ee/genthebuilder

The holiday season can be a triggering one for a lot of people, especially those of us from the LGBTQ+ community. In today's episode, host Calan Breckon speaks with guest Jeremy Long about how we can navigate conflict during this holiday season. Together they share their personal tips and tricks for those difficult interactions in hopes that it can make your holiday season a little more jolly. Jeremy Long is the founder of the Conscious Queer Community where he leads Queer Men's groups. He's also the owner of Enhance Leadership where he coaches about Leadership and Relationship Systems. Jeremy's personal struggle with self-esteem and acceptance of his sexuality inspired him to support other queer men on their journeys. He now applies his experience in facilitation, emotional intelligence, and relationship systems to support queer and emerging leaders and teams who are ready to reach the next level in their development. Jeremy on IG The Conscious Queer Community IG In this episode, we're exploring conflict transformation and ways you can go about navigating the holiday season with family and friends. We'll be answering questions like: How can people best navigate conflict during the holidays? Why is it so hard to admit when we're wrong? and why must we be willing to admit it if we are? What are some tips and tools you use to navigate conflict when it comes up for you? Join us to get a few tips and ideas on how you can survive this holiday season. Today's episode is sponsored by Manscaped: Get 20% OFF on all items + Free Shipping with promo code GMGD at MANSCAPED.com! Take the Attachment Style Quiz! Watch this ep on YouTube - Connect with us - Join the private Facebook community Take our "Building Better Relationships" course Take our "Healing Your Shame" course Instagram GayMenGoingDeeper.com Patreon

This is the second in a two-episode series exploring the legacy of Daisaku Ikeda and the practice of dialogue. In this episode, we ask how wisdom, courage, and compassion is lived and practiced through music and dialogue. In particular, we look at how genuine dialogue might bring out the best in ourselves as we look to bring out the best in the other. Together with Olivier Urbain, Kevin Maher, and Anri Tanabe, we explore how this is lived out at the Min-on Music Research Institute and the Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning and Dialogue.The Music & Peacebuilding Podcast is hosted by Kevin Shorner-Johnson at Elizabethtown College. Join our professional development network at www.musicpeacebuilding.com - thinking deeply we reclaim space for connection and care.

Ponder this question: How many children have no quality education internationally? The total includes 59 million children of primary school age, 62 million of lower secondary school age and 138 million of upper secondary age, according to the Statistical office of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO.) Henry Yampolsky is a best-selling author, mediator, educator, and multi-time TEDx Speaker. Henry serves as the Assistant Director for Education, Outreach, and Conflict Resolution at Virginia Tech's Office for Equity and Accessibility and teaches conflict resolution, mediation, and peace building as part of Virginia Tech's Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention. Henry has worked with hundreds of complex conflicts and has taught and lectured around the world including at Columbia University School of Law, the New York Peace Institute, Bellevue Mediation in Zurich, Switzerland, the International Gandhi Center and Museum in New Delhi, Bharathiar University in Coimbatore, India and at the Sattva Summit in Rishikesh, India. Henry's best-selling and critically acclaimed book, Dis-Solving Conflict from Within: an Inner Path for Conflict Transformation introduced a mindfulness-based paradigm for responding to conflict with strength, clarity, and compassion instead of reacting with fear, avoidance, or aggression. Henry's two TEDx talks have garnered thousands of views. Henry's first TEDx talk described his motorcycle journey across the Himalayas and what it taught him about conflict, connection, and dialogue. In his second TEDx talk, Henry talked about radical compassion as the goal of conflict resolution. Prior to embarking on a career in peacebuilding, Henry was an award-winning trial lawyer in Philadelphia. He has earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Temple University and a BS in International Studies from the University of Scranton. Henry is also a master-level instructor of Sattva Yoga, trained at the birthplace of Yoga, in Rishikesh, India. Originally from Kyiv, Ukraine, Henry resides in Virginia. He joined me this week, to tell me more. For more information: https://www.livingpeaceinstitute.com/ LinkedIn: @HenryYampolsky,J.D.

Many US Americans love to celebrate Thanksgiving and their traditions but it is also a time of mourning for Indigenous people. Discover the true history behind the Thanksgiving and how we can use this holiday as a way to co-create a better future for our nation. During this episode, Duncan will share with you three respectful ways in which we can celebrate Thanksgiving and reflect on this holiday to better ourselves and our society. Episode Highlights:The history of Thanksgiving & differences between pilgrims and puritansWhy Thanksgiving is important to our nation and our futureWe are stuck in how to understand the history of our country and one place we're struggling a lot is the story of thanksgiving.Thanksgiving can help us heal our nation and orient ourselves to a future that inspires us without anyone needing to give up on their favorite recipe or sense of tradition.Harvest festivals are a time to remember the relationship with the seasons, the land and the ultra rare gift of life.Facing past harms, understanding the impact, apologizing, making amends is a process that not only is healing to all involved, it also is critical for becoming the best version of ourselves.The origin of the story of "Mary Had A Little Lamb"How to break the cycle of violence Resources MentionedFind Out Natives of Your LandAll other resources are in the footnotes of the Substack Essay  Where else can you find this episode? Looking for more resources from this episode, head over the Substack to read the full essay and resource links mentioned throughoutOr check it out on Youtube Social Links:Facebook: https://facebook.com/omniwinprojectInstagram: https://instagram.com/omni.winTwitter: https://twitter.com/omni_winLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/omni-winSubstack : https://omniwin.substack.com/Website: http://www.omni-win.com

“Trauma is the glue that holds polarization in place.”In this classic Fractal Friends episode re-release, Duncan speaks with David Brubaker about the depth of polarization. They discuss the importance of honoring each others' (and our own) dignity, even when we don't agree with each other. Empathy is a valuable tool we can use to understand other perspectives and ask questions that produce profound answers.David and Duncan delve deep into how trauma impacts polarization, including our epigenetics. That's why it's so important to know how to deal with trauma appropriately and recognize its wider effect on all of us. David explains how people choose their side regardless of how much sense the other side makes. He tells an anecdote about Israel and Palestine where one side shunned their own idea because they thought it came from the other.Polarization is real and dangerous, and it's up to us to understand and fix the rift it creates.  Episode Highlights:Learn the definition of polarization and the different levels of conflict.Discover the importance of honoring each other's dignity, even when we don't agree. Learn about the history of Mennonites and their involvement in conflict resolution. David explains how polarized people choose their side, regardless of the logic presented by the other side. Duncan and David discuss the history that's led to polarization. Uncover why avoiding conflict isn't the answer.Learn why trauma makes polarization worse and why it's important to understand how to deal with it.David explains why Confederate statues were built in the South. Understand why epigenetics might cause people of color to run from the police. About this episode's guest:David Brubaker is a Dean at the School of Social Sciences and Professions at Eastern Mennonite University. He's also a Professor of Sociology, and the author of several publications, including a book called When the Center Does Not Hold: Leading in an Age of Polarization. David has consulted or trained with over 100 organizations worldwide. He's served with several community development and conflict transformation organizations for over four decades. Connect with David:email : david.brubaker@emu.eduLinkedIn Where Else can you find this episode?  Watch On YoutubeOn SubstackEpisode PageLooking to learn more about how we can change the future of our democracy? Connect with Duncan & the Omni-Win Project: FacebookInstagramTwitterLinkedInYouTubeSubstack

Omid returns with a timely and flowing discussion on the connection between spirituality and conflict transformation.Join Omid on a heart-centered and spiritually-focused educational tour of Turkey coming up in June 2023: Illuminated Tours - TurkeySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode Notes Episode summary Margaret and Casandra talk about the importance of learning mediation skills, what mediation is and what different processes look like. Guest Info The host Margaret Killjoy can be found on twitter @magpiekilljoy or instagram at @margaretkilljoy. This show is published by Strangers in A Tangled Wilderness. We can be found at www.tangledwilderness.org. You can support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/strangersinatangledwilderness. Links Mediate.com The Little Book of Conflict Transformation (little books series also has books on different types of mediation and restorative Justice) Getting to Yes The Promise of Mediation Transcript Margaret 00:14 Hello, and welcome to Live Like The World is Dying, your podcast for what feels like the end times. I'm your host, Margaret, Kiljoy, and I use 'she' or 'they' pronouns. And today we're going to talk about something that everyone has requested. Just kidding, no one actually bothers request this because they don't know they need it. That's actually not true. People actually haverequested this. We're gonna be talking about conflict mediation, and we're going to be talking about when conflict mediation isn and isn't the way to handle different types of situations. And when we'll be talking to Cassandra about that. And I'm very excited to hear what they have to say. This podcast is a proud member of the Channel Zero network of anarchists podcasts. And here's a jingle from another show in the network. Margaret 01:40 Okay, if you could introduce yourself with your name, your pronouns, and then I guess kind of your background, both professionally and non professionally with what we're gonna be talking about today with conflict mediation. Casandra 01:52 Yeah, my name is Cassandra, I use 'they' or 'she' pronouns. I'm a volunteer mediator at a community mediation center. I trained in mediation...What year is it right now? I don't know, eight years ago? Margaret 02:08 It's 2022, right now, Casandra Johns 02:09 Nine years ago, something like that. And I also worked at my local mediation center, at the beginning of the pandemic, as program coordinator for one of the counties. Margaret 02:25 So what is conflict mediation? This is when when you don't like someone, you just respond passive aggressively to them and or cancel them, right? Casandra 02:36 Yep, and block them on Twitter. Margaret 02:39 That's important. Casandra 02:42 Conflict mediation is where a third party is called in to be present during discussion about a conflict. So, in its most basic form, that could mean asking a friend who isn't like a stakeholder in a conflict to come sit in while you talk with someone who you have issues with. Through the mediation center, like on a, on an organizational level, we deal with all different sorts of conflicts. So community conflicts, like neighbors disputing property lines. We also do family mediation, parent/teen, stuff, things like that, we do a certain amount of mediation through the court system. So people in my area can opt to do mediation instead of going to like small claims court, which is pretty cool. Margaret 03:32 So like if you're mad at your neighbor for hitting your car with their bicycle. I don't know that's not a good example. Instead of suing them, you can, like go hash it out with someone. Casandra 03:49 Yep. Yeah. Margaret 03:50 How do you then maximize your personal profit? Casandra 03:54 Well, that's a good question. I mean, the chance if you go before a judge, there's a chance that they'll say, Nope, you don't get this money. Whereas in mediation, you get to talk to the person and explain to them why you need the money, and they explain to you why they can't pay the money, and then you work out a plan, which usually benefits both people. Margaret 04:14 Well it just doesn't lead very easily to feeling righteous and better than everyone, though. So it seems like a disadvantage. Casandra 04:21 Yeah, I mean, I think if you want to feel righteous, you should probably just sue someone and okay, and not worry about mediation. Yeah. Margaret 04:29 So what were you gonna say before, i said weird sarcastic things? Casandra 04:32 The center where I work, also has this really cool program, where we do restorative justice processes for youth offenders. So, rather than going through the usual punitive process, some juvenile offenders have the option to do restorative justice instead. Margaret 04:52 Give me an example of like, not a "John did this," but I like what that might look like? Casandra 04:59 Yeah, Let me think. I have to be vague. So I'm remembering a case where one teenager punched another teenager, like the, I think they were at the movies or something, this was pre-pandemic, and was charged with assault. And so rather than having to go through a punitive process and have that assault charge on their record, they have the option to do this restorative process instead. So that would look like sitting down with the person who was harmed or with a proxy, we use proxies as well, if the victim doesn't want to be present, and talking about the impact of their actions and then coming up with a plan for making amends, which can be really varied. Like it can be, It can be as simple as like, "I will go to therapy." Or it can be direct remediation, like "I will pay you money or do yard work for you," you know, it, people get really creative. But it's a cool option. Margaret 06:04 Okay. What is the difference between, outside of a legal or court system, what is the difference between conflict mediation and restorative justice? Like, when is one thing appropriate? And when is the other thing appropriate? Casandra 06:20 Yeah, I think of mediation as a part, like an aspect of larger alternative justice processes. So it's like a tool you can use in alternative justice processes. But alternative justice processes are intended for instances where harm has been caused. So it's not just a you and me on equal footing having a conflict or disagreement, actual harm has been done. Does that make sense? Margaret 06:46 Yeah, so like, basically, if I'm trying to...if someone within my same social circle sexually assaulted me, and then I don't want to go and sit down have a like samey samey conversation with them about like, how we all have feelings. Instead, I can....instead restorative justice as the more appropriate thing, then specifically, mediation in that circumstance. Is that what you're saying? Casandra 07:11 Yeah, or probably transformative justice. But yeah. Margaret 07:15 What's the difference? Casandra 07:17 Sure. So. Margaret 07:19 Sorry. Casandra 07:20 No, that's fine. Restorative justice was developed, I think in the 70s, I want to say, and that's what the mediation center where I work...that's what we use in conjunction with the court system. And it's dealing more with individuals. So, this individual has harmed that individual, and we're going to figure out how to make amends as best as possible between the two of them. Transformative justice, I think, was developed in the 90s. And it's a more systemic approach. So it's acknowledging that people often cause harm. Because of trauma, because of a lack of resources, you know, it acknowledges that we're all a part of these larger systems of oppression. And so through this transformative process, it seeks to heal both people. Often communities are brought in as part of that as well. Margaret 08:22 Okay. So like, everyone who's involved with the thing shows up, and has a say in it. Casandra 08:31 Maybe not for all parts. But, you know, the hope is to bring in as many people as possible, because the idea is that, that creates more sustainable change. Margaret 08:42 So how does one...How does one go about doing this, right? Like to focus maybe more on mediation than restorative and transformative justice? We obviously within our communities come up with like ad hoc means quite often, and we just sort of try weird things all the time. And sometimes those things don't work very well, like passive aggressive notes. Or, you know, Casandra 09:11 Wash your dishes! Margaret 09:13 Yeah, totally. Yeah. You know, like, how does one do this? Like, if I'm starting to feel like I'm either having conflict with someone that I'm in community with, or I'm watching a conflict develop within the community that I'm part of? What are some steps to notice that that's happening and work to resolve it? Casandra 09:35 I feel like that shouldn't be a big question, but because we're so conditioned to be conflict avoidant, not just on an interpersonal level, but like, society, you know, we live in a....part of liberal democracy, part of representative democracy is like creating these abstractions when it comes to conflict and creating institutions to deal with it, instead of even acknowledging that the conflict exists. Now I have to remember what your question was. Margaret 10:09 So what the fuck do you do when you're like, really pissed off that your roommate won't do the dishes, and is like, snubbing you at parties and this pretending like you don't exist. But they think that it's happening because you borrowed their guitar without asking. Casandra 10:31 I mean, mediation doesn't have to be a big formal thing, right? Like, you can just ask a mutually trusted friend to be...Well, first of all, you can just talk to them. So, so mediation is just a tool in our toolkit. But there's something about having a third person present, who isn't like a stakeholder in a conflict. And even if they don't say anything, just having a third person present and witnessing is sometimes really helpful. One of my favorite mediators at the center rarely says anything. He just has this presence, he'll sit there with his hands in bold and just like exists, and somehow people are like, Oh, well, shit. Now I have to... Margaret 11:13 Just like quietly judging you? Casandra 11:16 No, just like, holding this like, calm space. He's, yeah. Margaret 11:23 Quietly judging you! Because like, well not in a bad way, right? Because like, yeah, if I'm like, if I feel really, like, justified and you know, like, bah, blah, blah. But then as soon as I realized I'm saying it to a third party, I'm like, "Oh, this might not make sense." Like when I say to a third party? Yeah, yeah, no, okay. Okay. Casandra 11:41 Yeah. And anyone can do that. Right? Anyone who isn't a stakeholder and who's comfortable being around, conflict can be in that role. Obviously, there's more that you can do to like develop those skills. That's why trainings and mediation centers exist. Margaret 12:00 Most of the time, I've tried to do this. It's gone very badly when I've been asked to mediate things, but I think that's usually because the people...because I did everything, right, and the people involved id everything wrong. But, it seems like people got really defensive and kind of entrenched in their positions. And it stayed a really like, "No, I'm right. Fuck, you," "No, I'm right. Fuck you," kind of thing? How do you break that up? Casandra 12:31 Yeah. Have you heard the analogy of like, if you draw a heart on a piece of paper, and place it between two people, and they're like standing on opposite sides of it, and ask them to describe what they see, they're going to describe totally different things, but they're looking at the same image, you know? Margaret 12:50 Oh, because it's like, not symmetrically positioned between them. Casandra 12:53 Yes. Margaret 12:54 Okay. Casandra 12:55 I think that...Well, first of all, I think it's okay for people to just not agree, tight? Part of getting over our conflict avoidance, as a society, I think is acknowledging that, like, we're not going to agree and that's not only okay, but positive. Like we need to have people around us who we disagree with, in order to like, examine our own opinions and things like that. But, the second thing is that conflict isn't bad or scary. Like, I feel like part of people's fear around not agreeing with someone is that the assumption is that if you and I don't agree, then we can't have any sort of relationship or function. Like we're so conflict avoidant, that if we don't agree, we just simply can't function. Margaret 13:46 Oh, yeah, totally. And then we just like ice each other out completely. Casandra 13:49 Yeah, which is really common and unfortunate. And obviously, like, there, I'm gonna disagree with a Nazi, right? Margaret 13:58 Right. Casandra 13:59 We're not just going to agree to disagree, but I'm gonna ice them out. But, that doesn't have to be the case for everything. Margaret 14:06 No, that makes sense. I kind of...I kind of do this thing where I have, like, one set of values that I hold myself to, and one set of values that I hold other people to, you know, so like, I'm trying to come up with a good value to to use this for. I don't want to get...Okay, so like, but if there's if there's something that I believe I shouldn't do, it doesn't necessarily mean...even though kind of in the abstract, I wish no one would do it. Like okay, like lying, right? Like I have a very, very strong sense of never lying to anyone that you're not trying to control or hurt, right? And I, I will, like live or die by this as a person, but I recognize that not everyone I surround myself with holds the same value, and it like rubs me the wrong way. But, I can agree to disagree about it because I recognize that this is a value that is not shared by everyone. Um, and I'm on my own, like, wing nut paladin and kick or whatever. Andk but then yeah, like, there's other values like, you know, "don't be like", I don't know, "don't be fucking, like racist or whatever, like, don't be a fucking Nazi," that or...is that kind of what you're kind of what you're saying, like learning to have different standards for yourself versus other people or I guess that's not just the only way to...how do you how do you personally decide which things you are allowed to disagree about and which things you're not allowed to disagree about? Casandra 15:39 Oh, I don't feel like I'm in total agreement with anyone, like literally anyone. And that's great. Yes. The world would be really fucking boring. If I was. There's this, there's this essay called "In Defense of...." shoot, am I going to forget it while we're recording? No. In Defense of Arguing. Margaret 16:05 Okay. Casandra 16:05 Like an anarchist theory of arguing or something like that. And the author talks about these like larger things, like how social democracy...how the how liberal democracy as a larger structure encourages us to to not be in direct communication, and to avoid conflict. Margaret 16:24 Well, okay, so, how does this I guess my question is like, okay, we know that Nazis are on the far end of one...you know, like, God gave us Nazis, so that we have enemies. You know, there's this, like pure representation of bad right, that most of society used to agree on and it's no longer the case, but like, we have this pure representation of bad over on one end, and then you have like, you know, "John Barrows, my guitar without asking sometimes, and thinks it's okay, that he does." Or someone is has a different interpretation of some political analysis or, you know, like, like, shit that I might feel really directly personally strongly about, but is at the end of the day, not a big deal. You know, so that...Is the answer, "Everyone's just gonna draw those lines in different places?" That's my instinct is that everyone's going to draw the lines of like, well, I can be in community with someone who I don't know, like, sometimes as a like grouchy libertarian on some issues. Or some other people will be like, "Oh, I can be in community with Marxists," or something, right? And then other people will be like, "No, we've seen where Marxism leads to. So fuck them." So people are going to draw these lines in different places. Is it just, is it just alright, that people are going to draw those lines in different places. Casandra 17:53 Yes. And that, thank you. Yeah. So it's alright, that people are going to draw this lines in different places. And that reminds me why I brought up that article, which is what...not only is it okay to draw those lines, but having actual dialogue about where we draw those lines and why, and how they might be different from where other people draw those lines is ultimately productive. Margaret 18:15 That makes sense. Casandra 18:18 Because that's how we, you know, interrogate our own boundaries, right? And our own ideology. Margaret 18:26 It was interesting. I was like, this thing is gonna be very, like nuts and bolts episode Are we like talk about like, really specific practices, but... Casandra 18:32 I mean, we can but... Margaret 18:33 No, we should do it too, but I, what I really like thinking about this stuff around...Yeah, the how we build diverse communities and how we avoid, you know, I would argue that echo chambers are one of the things that destroys communities of resistance more effectively than even sometimes outside pressure. You know, as soon as everyone starts...go ahead. Casandra 18:55 Oh, I was just gonna say that like moral homogeneity is also what leads to these like, fundamentalist movements that were opposing, right. . Margaret 19:04 Yeah. And then yet, like, people were like, well, you know, you can't let 'something something' in because it's a slippery slope. And I'm, I'm on this like, crusade against slippery slope as a useful phrase, because, well, it's a useful phrase, be like, "Hey, that's a slippery slope," should mean like, so be careful when you walk it not like boarded up, none shall enter like, you know, maybe like put handholds along the way to like, help people like navigate complicated ethical terrain. Casandra 19:31 Cautionary signage. Margaret 19:32 Yeah, exactly. Like instead of being like, well, everyone who likes the following philosopher who died 100 years before Nazis came about is a Nazi, even though like, you know, both Nazis like this guy and some Nazis hated this guy and some non Nazis hated this guy. I'm actually not trying to defend Evola right now at this time. That's not the path I'm trying to go down right now. Maybe Nietzsche is how I'm trying to...But I don't even want to defend Nietzsche... anyway. Casandra 20:04 They can both go to the sun as far as I'm concerned. Margaret 20:08 But like, but you know, where we draw these lines might be different about like, okay, so like, fuck this guy, but is it fuck everyone who is inspired by this guy? And is it fuck everyone who's inspired by people who were inspired by this guy, you know? Because, like how many how many layers removed from something do we still hate it? You know? Casandra 20:33 Yeah. Yeah, totally. Margaret 20:37 So nuts and bolts of conflict resolution? Casandra Johns 20:42 Can I first... Margaret 20:43 Yeah, please do. Casandra 20:44 Before we move into specifics. I think the like overarching stuff is really important because every so often I see these pushes in radical spaces to develop more skills around things like transformative justice, but no one talks about conflict resolution, no one talks about mediation, which is wild to me. Like, the reason I trained as a mediator is because I saw it is like one of the building blocks of these larger structures. But it's just not something that seems to be valued or discussed on the left for the most part. And that's baffling to me, considering how much divisiveness we face and how we all seem to agree it's a huge issue. But haven't put in the work to develop the skills to like, deal with it. Margaret 21:35 So what we're doing is we're jumping straight to the like justice framework, which is, you know, far more, it's not inherently punitive, but like, it's more antagonistic and implies far more heavily that there's like harm that's been done. And it's one directional, right like, which is often the case, I'm not trying to claim that this is not the case quite often, but but we're jumping to that rather than a lot of things that could be headed off way before they get really intense through mediation, or even things that are really intense are still a mediation type thing rather than a transformative justice type thing is that right? Casandra 22:12 So yeah, even just as abolitionists, if we're talking about divesting from the current system as a whole, people don't just go to court because they've been abused, you know, they go because they're in conflict with someone and want an authority figure to decide who's right and who's wrong. And so that's something we have to replace as well. Margaret 22:36 Yeah, I know that makes sense. Casandra 22:36 And ideally without the authority figure. But even like, it doesn't have to be some intense formal, heavy thing. You know, like I've mediated for friends, and it's just been like a very casual conversation. I think that normalizing it, talking about it at all would be great as the left, but then normalizing these practices, Margaret 23:02 Just normalizing going to your roommate, your housemate, the third person and being like, "Hey, like, we keep arguing about the fact that I want to leave my socks in the living room." Casandra 23:16 Will you just be present while we chat through this? Margaret 23:18 Yeah, Casandra 23:19 Like yeah why not? You know. Margaret 23:22 Okay. I'm coming up with silly examples, but I'm like, mostly because I'm just not feeling very imaginative off the top my head, but Casandra 23:28 I've had housemates, I know how it goes. Margaret 23:31 It starts feeling really personal at a certain point. Casandra 23:33 It does! Margaret 23:35 Yeah, and sometimes it's really easy to be really, really angry at this, like, heavier stuff than the larger framework of what's happening. Casandra 23:46 Yeah, totally. I have a child, I understand that. I'm taking your lack of folding your laundry personally at a certain point. Margaret 24:01 That's because you're the authority. No, I don't want to get into that that's a different conversation. Casandra 24:07 Abolish bedtimes? Margaret 24:12 Yeah, okay. So like, well, actually, I mean, I mean, this would be an appropriate, like mediation would be an appropriate thing to do with, like, between you and between a parent and a child at various points also, or is that? Casandra 24:26 Yeah, yeah, one of my favorite types of mediation that I do through the center's parent/teen. There are different types of mediation. And the type I was trained in was..is somewhere between what's called facilitative and transformative mediation. So, in some scenarios, we're just hashing through a specific problem. And the people aren't going to have a relationship after that. And then in other scenarios, we're actually trying to shift the relationship to make it healthier, which I prefer. And Margaret 24:58 Yeah. Casandra 24:59 The Family mediations tend to go in that direction. But there's a power dynamic, right. And so part of the mediators job is to level out power imbalances, which can be really tricky. But also really cool to watch. Margaret 25:17 Well that's cool, because I think that critiques of power are necessary, but there's always going to be different types of relationships between people with power imbalances, right? Even when, like two adults are dating, you know, there's going to be power imbalances based on like, different levels of societal privilege, or, you know, heterosexual relationships have a massive power imbalance to start with that they have to deal with...either overcome or like learn to address. So it makes sense to, like... Casandra 25:46 I think personal history and like communication style cnn create that Margaret 25:52 In terms of like, if someone has a more aggressive communication style, and another person has like a style that is triggered badly by that style of communication, is that kind of what you're getting at? Casandra 26:03 Yeah, things like that. Margaret 26:05 Okay. I remember thinking about how this has to, like, sort of be taught and developed, I remember being at a workshop once at a conference about this issue....Pardon me, as I pull a tick off of my head and cut it with a knife Margaret 26:23 But ticks aside, you know, the way the way that this needs to be taught was really laid clear to me, I was at this, this workshop, and we're going through and, you know, the person teaching the workshop was teaching about conflict resolution and things and, and a friend of mine, who was a, I believe, a kindergarten teacher, I'm not entirely certain worked with very young kids. And my friend was explaining it was like, "oh, when two kids get in a conflict, like they both want a toy, you know, it's recess, and only one of them gets the toy. And they, they both want it, they get really excited, and they run up and they're like, "Teacher, Teacher, we have a conflict, we have to resolve it."" You know, and it was this really amazing heartwarming story. And, unfortunately, most of the people at the workshop, because they didn't have enough context for what was being told in the story were like, Ah, yes, this is the wisdom of children. You know, we should all just learn from children. And then my friend came up to me later, and was like, that was really frustrating. The kids do that, because we taught them how to, Margaret 26:23 Oh God! Casandra 26:29 Yeah, yeah. Margaret 26:33 And it... And there was a certain amount of like wisdom of children, and that they hadn't specifically developed other bad habits, like, you know, I have a lot of bad conflict habits that I don't love about myself that are ingrained to me for various purposes. But, it seems like we still have to, like...go ahead. Casandra 27:47 Even that approach, that they were excited to talk about it...like they knew where to turn. They knew where their resources were, and they were excited to resolve it. Like imagine feeling that way about disagreeing with someone. One of my teachers says that every mediation is a success, meaning that regardless of whether or not people come to an agreement, the fact that they've shown up to talk about it shifts something in their relationship. And that is in and of itself a success. Margaret 28:16 That makes a lot of sense. And then also might lead to kind of my next question, which is like, when? Well, as I had a phrased was like "when conflict resolution fails," you know, but it seems like sometimes you would go and be like,"Oh, we've heard each other out. And we fucking hate each other. or we're fucking mad about this thing." Casandra 28:39 We've heard...like feeling hurt, being able to say your piece to someone, and knowing that you're in this contained space where they have heard you. And then still not agreeing with them is still a form of resolution, you know, like, we're not going to agree on this. But, I've had the opportunity to, like, say my part. And that's something. Margaret 29:03 Yeah. No, that makes sense. It's like, asking nicely before you ask meanly, in terms of like, on like, a social change level, right? You know, we're like, "Hey, give us our rights." And they're like, "No, we don't give you your rights." and we're like, "Well, we asked, now, we're not asking anymore." And that. And that's sort of assuming one person is like, right in this mediation whereas theoretically, probably both parties think they're right, but I don't know. Yeah, I feel like sometimes I've been asked to kind of mediate informally, which i don't have nearly the background you do, but I like rambling. And I've kind of ended up leaving with this result with like the, you know, no one's really asking my opinion, necessarily, but I'm like, oh, probably the answer is that they hate each other. That the answer is that like both people feel totally justified and from their own perspective, they are totally justified. And probably this won't be settled and they should stay away from each other.I don't know. Casandra 29:59 Which like, at least they knew that afterward, you know? Margaret 30:02 Yeah. Casandra 30:03 Yeah. I mean, I've had many...or I've been present for.... I've been present for many more mediations than I've actually actively mediated just because of the job I had. Which is awesome, because I get to see the way other people mediate and learn from that. But I've witnessed really shocking mediations where it seems like the people walk in hating each other, and they don't come to an agreement. They're not going to agree. But they... the sense in the room at the end is peace. You know, they're like, "Ah, well, we both know, we're not going to agree and why. And at least we know that." Margaret 30:43 Yeah. Yeah. Casandra 30:45 Which is real. Right. Yeah. Margaret 30:49 No, I like that. Because it's like, it's not trying to... Casandra 30:53 Kumbaya? Casandra 30:53 I've already said this but, yeah, they're not trying to solve everything, you know, like some things just don't get solved. But, but at least everyone knows what's happening. Casandra 31:04 And there's that detachment to, you know, the idea that one person's right and the other is wrong is something that if you're mediating, you can't, that can't be in your brain. It's not your job to decide who's right and who's wrong or to even have an opinion about it. And there's something freeing there, because suddenly, you can see why both people feel they're right, like where the rightness is in, in both stories, which is pretty interesting. Margaret 31:30 Well does that end up leaving the mediator like, hated by both sides often? Because like, this person, this staying neutral when clearly I'm right? Casandra 31:31 No, and maybe this is important to talk about, but like part of, especially in a formal setting, when I open to mediation, some of the things I explain include, like confidentiality and mandatory reporting stuff, but I also explain that my role is to be neutral. I'm not going to take aside, I'm not going to make decisions or offer opinions or advice, like, all I'm there to do is to help them communicate productively. Yeah. Margaret 32:07 And I actually, I would guess, that the average, not...no training mediator of the things that you just said that they might fail at, would be the not offering advice part, right? So it's not like showing up to the council of elders or whatever the people who are going to, like, offer their wisdom down onto you. Instead, it's really just about helping the people involved, develop their own communication as relates to it. So it's not a...you're a no way like a judge or an arbiter. Is that kind of what you're saying? Casandra 32:39 No, there are. So there are different types of mediation. Arbitration is involved in certain types, but not the type I do and not the type that I think is useful in like, community and interpersonal settings. Yeah, and it is hard sometimes to not give advice. Margaret 32:59 Yeah, I know when I'm like, I think people might have failed that. I'm like, No, that's probably what I failed at.When I have attempted to mediate things, because I'm like, " Ah! I now, see, because I have all of the information. Now I will clearly explain because I'm so wise." And then I'm like, "Why isn't this working?" Casandra 33:13 Okay, no, it's it's really hard. And it takes a lot of practice. Honestly, the...when in mediations where I take a more active role, because in some mediations, I don't have to people are...people don't really need much guidance sometimes. But, when they do, I find myself almost like teaching healthy communication skills through example. And there's really not any time for me to think about offering my opinion or something like that. I'm like, so busy trying to help them untangle the communication. Margaret 33:50 Okay. Which seems like, in a similar way that like facilitating consensus in a large group is absolutely not about your own opinions about what should happen. And basically by being a facilitator in a large group you like, kind of like, get your own voice removed from that particular decision. Casandra 34:12 Yeah, I see it as a spectrum of skill sets, the like facilitator, the mediator and then whatever we want to call these transformative or alternative justice. Margaret 34:21 Judge Dredd? No, we have no movie about that. Okay. Okay, so which brings me to this idea like, right, you're like, oh, you know, you're gonna come in assuming neutrality as mediator, not that both sides are equal, but assuming your own neutrality to help foster communication. What about when it is...like, this sounds like it would be really unhealthy if I was forced to do it with an abuser, right? And so I'm under the impression that you would not use this in situations of abuse is that? Casandra 34:59 Mediation? Margaret 35:00 Yeah. Casandra 35:01 Yeah, yeah. And, and maybe before that, it's expected that if a mediator doesn't feel that they can maintain appropriate neutrality, they just don't mediate the case, they pass it to someone else. So that's, you know, people are gonna have strong opinions, and feel triggered by different scenarios. And that's real and fine. Margaret 35:27 Oh, I meant I meant as a participant, I wouldn't, you know, I wouldn't want to be called...am I wrong in thinking that it would, that I wouldn't want to be called into mediation with my abuser, you know? Casandra 35:42 Well, I mean, the easy answer is no. But both restorative and transformative justice, have mediation type processes, that can be a part of these larger processes. Margaret 35:59 Okay. Casandra 36:00 So, and maybe we don't call it mediation, maybe we call it like, a facilitated dialogue or something? Margaret 36:06 I don't know. Casandra 36:09 I think it's, it's a tool, right? Like mediation is a tool. And you have to do it differently when there's a vast power imbalance like that, or when harm has been caused. But.. Margaret 36:25 So I guess...how do you judge...How do you judge when to use mediation versus transformative justice? Like, how do you decide when a given thing is the right means? Casandra 36:42 That's a really big question. Because ideally I don't, right? So I can tell you at the Center, how it works, which is that if the courts contact us and are like, "We have decided that someone harmed another person, therefore this is going to be restorative process." Like that's how we know. Margaret 37:00 Right. Casandra 37:01 But in this larger project on the Left of developing these these alternative systems, that's something we have to figure out. And I don't think it can happen without intact communities. Because, I don't think it would be an individual process. Margaret 37:21 Yeah, okay. Casandra 37:23 But as a mediator, if I'm in a session...maybe this is a much simpler way to answer it, If I'm in a session, and someone says something about, like, causing physical harm to the other person. That's a like, "Oh, we got to stop this and shift" moment. Margaret 37:39 Okay. That makes sense. That is kind of one of my questions is like, do you ever like, yeah, escalate up the like, response ladder? It's a terrible way of phrasing it. But yeah, Casandra 37:53 There are plenty of cases that get called...so that so the Community Mediation Center, it's all free, right? Like anyone can call in with anything and be like, can you help me with this, which means there are plenty of cases that we can't mediate, that we say, "Oh, that's, that's not an appropriate topic for us. But here's some other resources." Margaret 38:11 And that would be usually cases of like, clear harm having been caused? Casandra 38:15 Yep. Or like certain types of conflicts, just because of the way the legal system is set up. Like, custody disagreements, we don't do it our center, it's just bureaucratic bullshit. But I think it would be similar in a community setting where different mediators are comfortable mediating different types of cases. And if something comes up within a mediation that either signals that harm has happened or that isn't suitable for that particular mediator, you just stop and find someone else to help. Margaret 38:49 Okay. Casandra 38:50 Like, we all have different skill sets, you know, Margaret 38:52 And what you said about it requires an intact communities to be able to, to effectively do this kind of thing, as a, you know, the more transformative justice element of it. It's kind of interesting to me, right? Because then that's something that... it seems to me that intact communities relies on conflict, resolution, and conflict resolution, and mediation and all of the things we've been talking about. So it's sort of a... Casandra 39:19 Chicken, egg? Margaret 39:20 Oh, I was thinking almost of a like, like, building a building, you know, like, a pyramid, a traditional representation of hierarchy. But, in this case, representing bottom up, you know, where like, the strong base of a community is not it's like justice system, but instead it's like, conflict resolution and the ability for diverse opinions to coexist. And there's the general ability for people to coexist, because people implies diverse opinions unless you live in some hellscape. Ideological bubble. Casandra 39:54 Yeah, yeah, that makes sense. Margaret 39:57 Now, it's interesting because then this answers the question of how do you supplant the justice system? which is an important question. Casandra 40:05 You support people in developing skill sets like this, which I was thinking about it before this interview and remembering when I was...so I don't get paid to mediate as part of the neutrality, nut the initial 40 hour training, I took cost money, because it's a non profit, very poor mediation center. And you're one of the people who who you gave me like 50 bucks or something. Margaret 40:32 No. Casandra 40:32 And you said, you messaged me, you said something to the effect of like, "Oh, I'm giving you money. This is like a skill that I think we need in more radical spaces." And I was like, "Fuck, yeah, this Margaret person seems really cool." Margaret 40:44 Cool. Yeah, I don't remember that. But, I believe you. I don't remember a lot of things, dear, listener. That's one of my skill sets is that I don't remember things. Casandra 40:59 That can be a blessing, I suppose. Margaret 41:02 Sometimes, it's like I, you know, it helps me really live in the present, you know, because it's all just fog in front of me and behind me. I have impressions, impressions of what's ahead and impressions of what came before. No, that's great. I mean, how common are these types of organizations? Like, you have one in your town? Is it? Do I have one in my...well, I don't have one in my town. There's 500 people who live in my town. Casandra 41:28 I'm only really familiar with my state. So, I'm in Oregon. And we have a network of Community Dialogue Resource Centers [CDRC]. I'm so bad at acronyms. There's a whole network all over Oregon. And each center works, to some extent with the current justice system, depending on where they are in the resources, but they also offer free community mediation, and it's really easy in my state to get training. Like at my center, you can, if you speak Spanish, and are willing to volunteer, as a bilingual mediator, you can get training for free, like it's a pretty accessible thing, but I'm not sure about other states, like the agreement we have with the Justice System to do these restorative processes for youth offenders is pretty unique, apparently, like it's a it's a test...test run, that's been going on for years. But I don't think that's necessarily common. Margaret 42:31 I mean, it's so basically, a way that some elements of the Justice System are trying to move towards an actual reasonable model away from the incarceration and punitive model is that right? Casandra 42:43 Yep. Yeah. And it's been because people at these Community Dialogue and Resource Centers have pushed really hard for the state to implement these programs here. But it's also...I mean, mediate.com has really good classes, you can just take on mediation. You can get, I have a whole...I'm looking at it, I realized this is not a video recording, but I have a whole bookshelf full of books on mediation, AK has presses put out...you know, there, there are lots of resources on mediation that are accessible. If people want to explore the skill set. Margaret 43:22 Would you be able to provide a few of those links for our show notes? Casandra 43:27 Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Margaret 43:29 Thanks. So okay, my last question, I want to I want to take with take you on this journey, where we imagine you know, a society without the state, whether because we win or because we lose, depending on how you know, like, like, Casandra 43:47 How you want to look at it? Margaret 43:48 Yeah, I mean, you know, obviously, like, this is a, it's not gonna be like some wingnut thing for people, for me to suddenly be like, "What if there was an apocalypse?!" right? Y'all are listening to Live Like The World Is Dying. I kind of want to ask you about the role of, and I know a lot of it's implied, but we talked about, but like, the role of conflict resolution in terms of community preparedness, if you have like thoughts around that? [That] didn't really end with a question mark. Casandra 44:18 That's fine. That's hard for me to answer because it feels like a given. Like, community preparedness means that we need functional, intact communities, which means we have to have systems that could look all sorts of different ways, right? But we have... Margaret 44:34 Like passive aggressive notes? Casandra 44:36 That's one way. But we have to have systems for working through conflict or else we do not have functional communities. And maybe different communities choose to do that in different ways. This is just like one particular tool or skill set that's very adaptable. Margaret 44:54 So if the state is abstraction of power, right, away from ourselves, basically the existence of the state, the long standing existence, the state is probably a huge part of what leads us to this conflict avoidance that you talk about, like causes these problems, we're so used to relying on the state to handle our conflicts for us by calling armed people who like putting people in cages. And so basically...do you ever have those moments where like, you've been an anarchist for a long time, and then you still end up with these, like, obvious epiphanies that like, seem really obvious when you say them out loud, but still feel like epiphanies? That's what I'm having right now about this, because I'm like, "Oh, this is everything. This is the foundation," which is also what you just said, I'm saying this back to you. Casandra 45:39 That's why it's so baffling to me that I've searched for years for collectives, groups, any, any individuals, anyone offering these skills in radical spaces, and it's so hard to find. And that's wild to me. It's so wild. And that doesn't, people aren't doing it. Margaret 46:00 Right. Casandra 46:01 But it just doesn't seem to be of high value. Margaret 46:04 I wonder if it's like, because people...because I have seen a lot of groups, and I'm glad there are groups that focus on transformative justice, right, but that's the top of this pyramid of needs...my hierarchy of needs that I've created because I love hierarchy. Casandra 46:19 Such a good anarchist. Margaret 46:21 I know. I wonder if it's kind of similar to how like, it's a lot easier to find like armed anarchist organizations that will teach you how to shoot guns and like harder to find ones that'll teach you how to like immediate conflict resolve, like someone angrily comes into your...you know, I and often I'm...the individuals do this, right? Like, there was a time. I don't know if this person listens to this podcast, but a friend of mine was at some anarchist screening at some info shop and some angry guy comes in and starts yelling this and that about I think trans people. And my friend who's trans was just like, "Hey, man, you want to go outside and have a cigarette with me?" And just like, went outside and talked to the guy. And he calmed down and left, and like, and my friend carries, right. But like, it's so much easier to find information about the nuclear option the the, you know, the escalated version than it is to find resources about the "Hey, man wanna step outside with me and have a conversation." Casandra 47:26 Yeah, those soft skills are really devalued because of the way our society... Margaret 47:32 What?! What if there was like a word to describe type of...We should call it patriarchy? Casandra 47:38 I mean, who did people used to go to? Right? Was it like, grandma? Or like, gr... you know, the people, we devalue? e? Margaret 47:53 Yeah. Margaret 47:55 Well, I, you know, it's hard. I don't know where to go from, okay like, now we understand the entire basis of an anarchist society, without the state, basically means that we have to learn how to stop putting this not on other people, because obviously, we need other people, we need society to help us do this, but stop putting it on this, like, legalized abstraction that's off in the distance. Casandra 47:55 Yeah. Casandra 48:23 So there, I mean, there are interpersonal skills, we all need to develop right around communication? But if we're talking about people actually filling these roles that we need, we have to actually figure out how to support people in developing those skills and like value their skill set. Margaret 48:40 Yeah. So how do we how do we do that? Casandra 48:44 Well, you did it for me, I was like, Hey, Internet, I need money for this training. And you were like, "Here's 50 bucks. This is important." I was like, "Thanks!" Margaret 48:58 Best part is that was probably a couple of years ago when I had substantially less ...and like I've, since I think people who listen to this know that I've since like, started a nonprofit job and like, have more money than I used to. Casandra 49:09 Oh, this was like 2016. Margaret 49:11 Yeah, okay. Yeah. Okay. But okay, so like, so people can go and get trainings and people can bring this kind of information to their communities, both by doing it, but also by maybe like spreading the skills that people could be setting up like informal collectives or formal collectives are something to kind of like, work on fostering these types of skills like what else can we do? Casandra 49:38 Just talking about it more. I mean, I remember who was I...Oh, I guess I can't talk about this on the internet. I was doing seasonal labor that grants one a lot of spare time to talk and the people I was doing this.... Margaret 49:53 Blueberry harvest. Casandra 49:55 Yes, blueberry harvest. The people that I was doing the seasonal labor with were like, "Hey, what if we listen to Rosenberg's lectures on non violent communication and practice, because we got time to kill." And we were like, "Alright," so we all... I mean, and there's a lot to say about NVC and its flaws, but we agreed to do this as a group and she sat around and practiced arguing using NVC until we got comfortable like, I, it's hard to, it's hard to, like, write us a prescription for people to normalize something like this, right? But the, the solution is that we have to normalize it somehow.. Margaret 50:35 No, that makes sense. Do you have any any final thoughts on conflict resolution or things that we didn't talk about that we should have talked about? Casandra 50:46 Um, it's really important, we won't function as a society without it whether it's mediation or some some similar skill. I don't know, Google "mediation centers" where you are. Chances are there there's one somewhere in your state, or wherever you're listening from. Margaret 51:08 Yeah, I think we sometimes try to reinvent the wheel all the time, within radical subcultures. I can't speak to other ones besides the anarchists ones, because it's the one I participate in the most. But, we I think sometimes we like only look to existing anarchists projects as like, the realm of what's possible. And that seems nonsensical. Casandra 51:29 Yeah, actually, that reminds me...so that the center where I work is not politically affiliated, right. I'm like the youngest person there. It's mostly a bunch of retired folks of various political leanings, which we don't talk about. And there's something to be said, for working in spaces like that, and learning these skills in spaces like that, because we don't live in an anarchist society right now. Which means that we need to be able to navigate conflict with people who aren't anarchists. And so if two people are in conflict, and they aren't anarchists, and I approach them and say, "Hey, I'm an anarchist mediator," then suddenly I'm not neutral or like a useful resource, right? Margaret 52:16 Right. Casandra 52:17 So it's not that I think we shouldn't have anarchists mediation collectives. I'm just saying that. I don't think people should shy away from these a-political resources, because they really valuable still. Margaret 52:31 There's this thing I learned yesterday while doing research for my other podcast that you can check out, it's called Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff that comes out every Monday and Wednesday. Okay, and um... 52:41 I know what you're going to say, and yes. Margaret 52:43 Yeah, well, okay. So like, I learned about this thing where, you know, I have infinite respect for the Jane Collective, right, the people who in the late 60s, early 70s, in Chicago were in this collective that ended up including more than 100 different people; women working as Abortionists illegally before Roe v. Wade. And for some reason that's on a lot of people's minds right now. But then I discovered looking back that in the 1920s and early 30s in Germany...Cassandra's already heard this...there was all of these non politically affiliated organizations of illegal birth control advocates and Abortionists all over Germany. There's more than 200 of these groups, and they were non politically aligned. But it was almost all syndicalists, anarchist syndicalists coming from a specific union, the acronym of which I forget off the top of my head. FAUD actually, I now remember it. And it's like the Free Workers Union of Germany or something. And even though they did a lot of organizing and propaganda as anarchists in the rest of their lives, the abortion clinics, were not an anarchist project, because that wasn't the point of it. And they weren't there to recruit. And they weren't...they were just there because people needed to have access to birth control and abortions. And I could imagine mediation....you know, if I was forming an anarchist mediation collective, if it was like, "We are the anarchists mediation collective," it would maybe be for the anarchists, but if it was like, "We are anarchists doing this mediation collective and we're willing to tell you, we're anarchists, but it is not about anarchism." I don't know is that? Casandra 54:23 Yeah, totally. I mean, I remember during my first training, going up to one of the directors and asking, I don't remember what question I asked, but it was something about like, "What we're talking about sounds like prison abolition," you know, and like, there's a particular mediation center in my area that is politically affiliated, and I was asking him if I should try volunteering with that center or with one of the non affiliated centers, and he said, "Definitely one of the non affiliated centers because the whole point of this if we're actually abolishing the prison industrial complex is to get everyone to divest from it, which means everyone needs access, which means we don't want to turn them off because we say we're liberals or anarchists or whatever." Margaret 55:17 Yeah. Casandra 55:18 I say liberal because he was probably a liberal, but surely, yeah. Margaret 55:23 Yeah. No, that that makes a lot of sense to me. It's interesting challenges a lot of like, the presuppositions I have about like when it isn't, isn't useful to identify projects politically. But, I think that makes a really strong case. Because, the point has never been, from my point of view to create little weird pure bubbles, cause, as we talked about creating weird pure bubbles is just....they're just going to destroy themselves, much like bubbles, when you blow bubbles, they don't last. Casandra 55:54 Well and even like if you create this weird pure bubble, what if someone..what if you're in conflict with someone outside that bubble? Is that person going to trust a mediator who is strictly inside that bubble? Margaret 56:08 No, then we'll just go break their windows, no matter what happened. Even if our friends are the one at fault. Casandra 56:15 You know, if I get in an argument with my Catholic, Republican, anti-semitic neighbor across the street, even if I might prefer an anarchist mediator, that's not something he's going to agree to, therefore, the mediation won't happen, and therefore it's not productive. Margaret 56:33 Right. Yeah. And, and even then, like, if you have a mediator who specifically there to be on your side, you don't have a mediator, you have an advocate, I guess. Casandra 56:42 Which is important. Advocates are really important. But that's different. Different skill set. Margaret 56:50 Yeah. No, totally. I mean, and then you get into the like, since you can't enter someone into transformative justice, if they don't want to, and if they're not part of a community, you know, sometimes like, I remember there was an instance where to abstract this as far as I possibly can with the story is still making sense, where an anarchist went on a really bad date with a guy who wasn't an anarchist, and then, like 30, people in black bloc, showed up outside his house with megaphones, and scared the everLiving shit out of him. And I think he was a little bit more careful from then on. But... Casandra 57:28 Different techniques for different scenarios, right? Margaret 57:31 Exactly. Exactly. Like, not everything should resort to violence or the threat of violence, but also, not everything...I think that is...I think that's one of the things that turns people off from a lot of mediation is that I think that people see it applied at times when sometimes like,"No, maybe just like direct conflict is the actual answer to certain types of problems," you know, but not that not that many of them. Casandra 57:56 Well in mediation when it's done well, I see the same argument around nonviolent communication, which I think Rosenberg was brilliant, I think that...or is? he like... Margaret 58:07 I don't know. Casandra 58:08 Anyway, I don't know, I think the way it's applied often is horrible. But, I see this a similar argument around mediation and NVC and where those tools can be utilized to like tone police or silence people, etc. But mediation, one of the foundations of mediation is that it's a consensual process. Which means that if someone's in a mediation, and is like, "Oh, this doesn't feel good to me anymore. This is like some boundaries been crossed, or I'm not comfortable with the way I'm being asked to communicate," or whatever. They just stop the process. That's it. Margaret 58:50 Yeah, no, that makes sense. Yeah, I wish I could have done that with like...I have such negative connotations for NVC, because I feel like the times it just gets use...it's, it's just been like weaponized against me by people who are like, making me cry and then asking why I'm communicating so meanly while I'm crying because of the things that they're saying to me or whatever, you know? Casandra 59:10 Same, same. When I when I actually read Rosenberg, I'm like, oh, yeah, that's not what he was describing. Margaret 59:20 Yeah. Casandra 59:23 Yes, yeah. Margaret 59:24 And the spirit of the law, the spirit of the idea often gets stripped away and left with the letter of it. Casandra 59:31 I've also had so many jobs where I've had so many bosses who were like, hippies using NVC to just like gaslight the shit out of you, you know? Like, "Yeah, I hear you feel this way. But I'm still your boss and will fire you." You know? Margaret 59:52 Yeah. All right. Well, I think we've covered every single thing about mediation and... Casandra 1:00:01 Ever. Yep. And even can go and mediate now I'm sure. Margaret 1:00:04 Yeah, totally. Just make sure to stick your own opinions in. Anyone is free to leave at any point all they...they will just be excised from the community. And, passive aggression is the logical response to everything. What else, did we cover everything? Casandra 1:00:20 Gossip with your friends about everything you hear in a mediation so they can cancel each other. Margaret 1:00:24 Oh, yep, definitely. And it's really good to not only block people on social media, but then yell at everyone else to block the person on social media. Getting anything? I sarcastically make fun of things that people do in order to defend themselves from really bad things that happen. I understand why people do these things sometimes. It just gets out of hand. Casandra 1:00:49 Different different tools for different scenarios. Margaret 1:00:51 Yeah, totally. All right. Well, thank you so much for coming on. Is there anything you want to shout out or plug or draw people's attention towards here at the end of the episode? Casandra 1:01:05 Um, maybe this...I don't know publishing project called Strangers In A Tangled Wilderness. Margaret 1:01:12 Oh, are you part of a publishing project? Casandra 1:01:13 Have you heard of that? Margaret 1:01:15 Is it Strangers In A Tangled Wilderness at Tangledwilderness.org? The publishing collective that you and I are both part of? Casandra 1:01:24 Yeah, yeah, we could call that out. Margaret 1:01:27 Yeah, if...this podcast is published by Strangers In A Tangled Wilderness, and we also publish a monthly zine. We're publishing a bunch of books this year. And we're really just...it's a project that's been around in one incarnation or another for about 20 years. But we're like really, kind of kick starting it. No pun intended with the company this year and trying to give it a good push and we have a bunch of stuff coming out. Casandra 1:01:54 If you like podcasts, now, there's an audio version of each zine each month. Margaret 1:01:58 Oh, yeah. What's it called? Casandra 1:02:01 Oh, shit, isn't it's just called Strangers [In a Tangled Wilderness]? This is our job. Margaret 1:02:10 We're very professional. All right. Well, thank you so much for coming on. Casandra 1:02:18 Thank you. Margaret 1:02:19 Thank you so much for listening. If you enjoyed this podcast, you should learn how to mediate or don't learn how to mediate and just walk like a wrecking ball through communities and tell everyone what you think. I guess I've already made enough sarcastic jokes this episode. Mediation is really cool. And you should look into it. You can also support this podcast. The main way you can do that is by telling people about it. You can tell people about it on the internet, or in person. Those are the only two spaces that exist I think. But either way you'd be helping us out. You can also support us directly by supporting us on Patreon. Our Patreon is patreon.com/strangersInatangledwilderness, and depending we put up content every month, we have now two podcasts, this one and the podcast Strangers In A Tangled Wilderness. We publish a lot of fiction, we will be publishing some poetry's, and role playing game content, also some essays, memoir, history, you name it. And in particular, I'd like to thank Mikki, Nicole, David, Dana, Chelsey, Staro, Jennifer, Elena, Natalie, Kirk, Micaiah, Nora, Sam, Chris, and Hoss the dog. You all are amazing and make all this possible. Strangers...well, this podcast used to be just me. But now it's going to be coming out more regularly, thanks to all the hard work of all the people who work behind the scenes. So thank you for supporting them and thank you people who are behind the scenes for doing that also Anyway, I hope you're doing as well as you can with everything that's happening and I will be back soo Find out more at https://live-like-the-world-is-dying.pinecast.co

This month on The Growing Edge Podcast we will be revisiting our Feb 2021 conversation with John Paul Lederach, Professor Emeritus of International Peace Building, and internationally respected expert in conflict transformation. John Paul describes the stages that lead to violence in a society, as well as the ways people heal and create communal networks of change. In a time when we are all deeply concerned about the tragic violence happening The Ukraine, The Growing Edge is revisiting this Powerful conversation about how hope for a more peaceful world happens in daily and personal ways as well as through community, national and global efforts.