Recommended Books
The Little Book of Strategic Peacebuilding
by Lisa Schirch
Topics include:
- Defining Strategic Peacebuilding
- Values for Peacebuilding
- An Overview of Peacebuilding Processes
- Waging Conflict Nonviolently
- Reducing Direct Violence
- Transforming Relationships
And more!
Schirch singles out four critical actions that must be undertaken if peace is to take root at any level): ) waging conflict nonviolently, reducing direct violence, transforming relationships; and building capacity. From Schirch’s 15 years of experience as a peacebuilding consultant in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
“This Little Book is an attempt to bring together the various fields and activities related to peacebuilding to integrate them into one conceptual framework. At the core of this framework is the idea of strategic peacebuilding, an interdisciplinary, coordinated approach to building a sustainable justpeace—a peace with justice. Strategic peacebuilding requires clear goals. While the concept of justpeace is growing in popularity, few writings lay out the vision and practice of justpeace. One aim of this book is to promote the concept of justpeace as an overall goal or vision for peacebuilding.”
The Little Book of Conflict Transformation
by John Paul Lederach
Topics include:
- Defining Conflict Transformation
- Conflict and Change
- Connecting Resolution and Transformation
- Creating a Map of Conflict
- Developing Our Capacities
And much more!
A guide to conflict resolution, or as the author prefers, “conflict transformation” that emphasizes the importance of building relationships and social structures through a radical respect for human rights and life.
This clearly articulated statement offers a hopeful and workable approach to conflict—that eternally beleaguering human situation. John Paul Lederach is internationally recognized for his breakthrough thinking and action related to conflict on all levels—person-to-person, factions within communities, warring nations. He explores why “conflict transformation” is more appropriate than “conflict resolution” or “management.
Firmly rooted in faith and Mennonite teachings, and related to the popular concept of restorative justice, conflict transformation is an idea with a deep reach. Its practice, says Lederach, requires “both solutions and social change.” It asks not simply “How do we end something not desired?” but “How do we end something destructive and build something desired?” How do we deal with the immediate crisis, as well as the long-term situation? What disciplines make such thinking and practices possible?
Civic Engagement, History & Organizing
The Path of Most Resistance: A Step-by-Step Guide to Planning Nonviolent Campaigns is a practical guide for activists and organizers of all levels, who wish to grow their nonviolent resistance activities into a more strategic, fixed-term campaign. It guides readers through the campaign planning process, breaking it down into several steps and providing tools and exercises for each step. Upon finishing the book, readers will have what they need to guide their peers through the process of planning a campaign. This process, as laid out in the guide, is estimated to take about 12 hours from start to finish.
The guide is divided into two parts. The first lays out and contextualizes campaign planning tools and their objectives. It also explains the logic behind these tools, and how they can be modified to better suit a particular group’s context. The second part provides easily reproducible and shareable lesson plans for using each of those tools, and explores how to embed the tools in the wider planning process.
EQUITY IN ONLINE LEARNING
PACS Center Focus Group on Equity in Online Instruction
Considerations for choosing between synchronous versus asynchronous course designations and designs
Please review the attached document to review our PACS Center Focus Group on Equity in Online Instruction’s thoughts on synchronous versus asynchronous course design.
Larp & Conflict Transformation
Enjoy this second (2) of three (3) Lightning Talks from the Spring 2022 Town Hall Meeting in the Transformative Play Initiative Event Series: “Larp and Conflict Transformation” by Shirin Khosropour, Charlotte Gullick, and Laila Taraghi! Lightning talks are meant to spark conversation in our group discussions at Town Hall events, with the goal of inspiring networking and collaborations.
This talk discusses the ways in which the presenters incorporate larp into their Conflict Transformation trainings at Austin Community College, helping participants practice skill competence and agency in conflict situations. Particular attention is paid to the challenges larp poses for both facilitators and participants, as well as the potential for bleed and how to mitigate it.
Khosropour, Shirin, Charlotte Gullick, and Laila Taraghi. 2022. “Larp and Conflict Transformation.” Lecture for the Transformative Play Initiative Town Hall Meeting 2022. Transformative Play Initiative. YouTube, April 21.