In contexts where there is historic division and intractable violence, where “enemies” or “rivals” vie over control of resources and securing their own futures, are there pathways to promote constructive dialogues and difficult compromises – where a vision of a “bearable” future for all involved is possible? Byron Bland will share what he and colleagues at the Stanford Center on International Conflict and Negotiation learned while working in Northern Ireland and Israel/Palestine. These lessons also provide a useful lens for examining political, racial, and cultural divides currently taking place in the United States. He will describe strategies to address problems of distrust, the particular susceptibility to hate-mongering populist leaders shown by those who are feeling the most painful losses, and the thorny question of just entitlements. Additionally, he will explore the distinction between the vision of a shared future and a shared vision of a specific future.
Join us on Tuesday, February 16 at 11:30 a.m. EST / 4:30 p.m. GMT
