Resolving Identity-Based Conflict In Nations, Organizations, and Communities

JAY ROTHMAN Ph.D., is a conflict resolution theorist and practitioner with twenty years of experience. As a facilitator, consultant, trainer, and educator, he has worked with diplomats from dozens of countries, business executives, union leaders, opposing leaders of embattled ethnic groups, school boards and superintAndents, community activists, and students from around the world. He is currently a visiting scholar and associate professor at the masters of arts program in conflict resolution at Antioch University. The author lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Preface. Acknowledgements. About the Author. Prologue: The ARIA Quartet Conflict. TRANSFORMING IDENTITY-BASED CONFLICT. 1. The ARIA Framework: Antagonism, Resonance, Invention, Action. 2. Antagonism: Sufacing Differences and Analyzing Animosity. 3. Resonance: Articulating Common Needs and Motivations. 4. Invention: Generating Cooperative Solutions. 5. Action: Setting Joint Agendas. THE ARIA FRAMEWORK IN PRACTICE. 6. Prenegotiation in Nations: Peace Building in Jerusalem. 7. Transforming Conflicts Within and Between Groups in Organizations. 8. ARIA Tools: Lessons Drawn from Community Conflicts. Epilogue: Engaging Identity, Creating Harmony. Notes. References. Index.

"Absolutely essential reading for anyone interested in identity conflicts and how to overcome them. Provides a fascinating theoretical introduction to the phenomena, detailed case study experiences, and a final training guide for practitioners...a landmark work." (Kevin Clements, Vernon and Minnie Lynch Professor of Conflict Resolution, and director, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University) "Jay Rothman not only says it is possible to bring about reconciliation of communities, organizations, and nations involved in long-standing, deeply rooted conflicts, but he shows just how to do it! . . . Focusing on the importance of social identity and the steps involved in transforming antagonism into effective joint action, he helps us go beyond the role of interests to a more complete understanding of needs and their importance in conflict resolution." (Lawrence Susskind, director, MIT-Harvard Public Disputes Program, and president, Consensus Building Institute) "With clarity and imagination, Jay Rothman explores identity conflict from the community to the international arena. . . . This book provides direction and hope for all those engaged in the essential work of conflict resolution." (Richard Deats, editor of Fellowship, the magazine of the Fellowship of Reconciliation) "Re-imagines conflict mediation in a remarkably new way--by bringing together the empirical language of negotiation with the pattern-recognition skills of the artist, a new and exciting synthesis is possible." (Michael Jones, pianist, composer, Narada recording artist, and author of Creating an Imaginative Life) ?The ARIA framework works at many levels. It is a wonderful metaphor for the phases of constructive conflict resolution that has applications in so many fields. It is the analytic melody that connects the phases through the example of a string quartet, and it captures how creative conflict resolution is like a beautiful song when expertly executed. In all its forms, I have incorporated ARIA into my teaching and practice.? (Deborah M. Kolb, professor of negotiation and conflict resolution, Simmons College; Senior Fellow, Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School)