The Dynamics of Conflict Resolution: A Practitioner's Guide Review

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The Dynamics of Conflict Resolution: A Practitioner's Guide ReviewIt has been quite a while since I have been excited about a book in our field. With so many new titles popping up in the standard cataloges and the shelves of bookstores, you would think there would either be 1) more to be excited about, or 2) nothing new to get excited about. Not untilBernie Mayer's brand new "The Dynamics of Conflict Resolution: A Practitioner's Guide" have I felt the resources of paper and ink, and human time and energy were well worth it.
This book covers all the things I have wanted a conflict resolution book to do. It covers all the key pieces and concepts of conflict and conflict resolution; it understands and articulates the distinction between conflict resolution and mediation; it speaks to the concerns that have been raised about social justice, power, culture, and the nature(s) of mediation.
When I have taught in the past, and in my current course in conflict management and mediation, I end up using a chapter from here, an article from there, and creating additional writings and handouts as there has not been one title that has given a good description of conflict resolution principles, used good examples from different arenas, and addressed information and questions about mediation. Bernie has done this for me -I mean us- here; the book is readable and understandable, and uses illustrative case examples to help make points clear.
In addition - and this really knocks my socks off - it isn't another how-to book for those looking to do better in their mediation business; yes, the understandings of conflict presented here will help them do that as the author explains. But what I am so, so happy about is that it is from that place where conflict resolution and the work we do in it isn't just about a profession and a business, but the meanings and values that are at the heart of it.In Bernie's words: ". . .In its earlier days it was easy to think of conflict resolution as a social movement, and to focus on demonstrating its relevance and effectiveness, creating new applications, and promoting a common set of practice principles and procedures. Now that the field is more accepted and institutionalized, it is easy to lose sight of the foundational values of our work. . . As we practitioners move from the initial excitement of creating a new field of practice to the less dramatic but equally important challenge of deepening the field's foundation and institutional structure, it is crucial that we retain a clear view of the core values of our work."
It is this `deepening' that has caught my attention and gotten my praise. In my courses I have been talking about power sources, how the dominant culture effects the work and its appropriateness and inappropriateness, even using examples of the Roma and Kosovo. And here they are all in this book.
Bernie is also upfront about not wanting to be "overly prescriptive about what conflict resolvers should do" (he in fact concentrates on the useful ways "thinking about conflict and its resolution") or present set, rigid theories. Instead he allows the reader to take it all in and reflect on their own work and experiences and he hopes "this will stimulate readers to deepen their own thinking or to put forward their own ideas, sometimes, perhaps, by way of disagreeing with mine." Others have spoken somewhat similar words; this time you believe it.
I hope I am asked to teach again next spring. Now I have the book I would have written had Bernie not already done it.The Dynamics of Conflict Resolution: A Practitioner's Guide Overview

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Evil: Inside Human Violence and Cruelty Review

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Evil: Inside Human Violence and Cruelty ReviewThis is the book for anyone who has ever been the victim of a crime and wishes to understand how or why it happened, or whose profession requires frequent contact with perpetrators of evil and who needs to understand the thinking process of such people. I have read several other books on the subject, mostly approaching it from the perspectives of literature, religion or mythology, but these works tend to provide unsatisfying answers to the basic questions of what inspires evil and what causes it to spread. Dr. Baumeister's work answers both of these questions convincingly, along with many others, such as why evil people almost never consider themselves to be evil; why there is not more evil in the world, considering how often evil goes unpunished; why revenge is usually disproportionate to the initial offense and why it settles nothing and often inspires further and greater evil; why drugs and alcohol so often accompany evil and whether they are actually a cause of evil; whether low self-esteem or high self-esteem is more conducive to evil, and the role which self-esteem, and challenges to self-esteem, play in the initiation of evil; and how the perpetrators of evil manage to live with themselves. This is not only the best book I have ever read on the subject; it is the only one I have read which approaches the problem from the standpoint of empirical research rather than mere ideology. It is also extremely well written, accessible to the general reader and generously illustrated with examples from history and current events.Evil: Inside Human Violence and Cruelty Overview

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Social Conflict: Escalation, Stalemate, and Settlement (3rd Edition) Review

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Social Conflict: Escalation, Stalemate, and Settlement (3rd Edition) ReviewThis is a very comprehensive survey of conflict resolution theory. The bulk of the work focuses on conflict escalation and stalemate, leaving a noticeably smaller section on settlement at the very end. The information is readily applicable to analysis of community and international disputes. Thorough citation and summaries offer a rich resource for further reading.
I read this for an introductory, graduate-level class on Conflict Resolution Theory. I think this book would also be useful for students of international relations, industrial psychology, political science, sociology, and business management. John Paul Lederach's excellent book, Building Peace, would be useful to those wanting to know more about post-conflict settlement.Social Conflict: Escalation, Stalemate, and Settlement (3rd Edition) Overview

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The Saturated Self: Dilemmas Of Identity In Contemporary Life Review

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The Saturated Self: Dilemmas Of Identity In Contemporary Life ReviewI found this book very interesting to read. I did not find it disturbing or brilliant. Anyone who uses the internet, watches television and videos and has been jet lagged from global travel will find this an accurate account of contemporary post-modern man's global lifestyle It has the same fun reading style and spirit as T.Friedman's "The Lexus and The Olive Tree" but with a psychosocial take rather than an economic social view. This work is not grounded in biological science and the generalizations he does make from quantum science are skewed though standard post-modern mantra as far as I know. Scientists may not relate to nature or reality directly as he argues but they do relate to mathematical inferences about nature that allow them to predict with a high degree accuracy how nature works. Otherise I wouldnt' be writing this on the computer. But then Gergen himself says that the book may be just fiction or invention not a building of ideas on top of ideas. Readers interested in the topic of self-consciousness could balance Gergen's argument with A. Damasio's "The Feeling of What Happens" and G. Edelman's "Bright Air and Brilliant Fire".Both of these works attempt to ground consciousness in the body.The Saturated Self: Dilemmas Of Identity In Contemporary Life Overview

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Group Dynamics Review

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Group Dynamics ReviewAs can be expected in a field as broad as group theory, Forsyth does not explain in depth the various theories of group interactions, nor does he endorse any particular one as absolutely correct. He does, however, highlight the pertinent points of each theorist so that the reader can achieve a full appreciation for the work and experiments done in this field. The text is an excellent resource for students or curious readers new to the groups studies.Group Dynamics Overview

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Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity (Learning in Doing: Social, Cognitive and Computational Perspectives) Review

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Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity (Learning in Doing: Social, Cognitive and Computational Perspectives) ReviewFor those grappling with the need to understand and talk about how people come together and interact beyond the org. chart, this book has a lot to offer. Theoretically-based, it focuses on a social theory of learning that is broad enough to cover a wide range of human activities, well beyond what we would normally consider to be 'learning'. 'Communities of practice' offers a comprehensive framework for understanding and analysing what people do in the context of their social milieu. The author includes many examples and uses a work-place vignette to illustrate the relevance and power of his ideas. If you are not afraid of theory and abstraction and are open to new concepts, this book may indeed be revolutionary.Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity (Learning in Doing: Social, Cognitive and Computational Perspectives) Overview

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In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction Review

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In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction ReviewIn all innocence I picked up Gabor Mate's book and in no time I was stunned to find that I was reading about myself. No, I am neither a drug addict nor alcoholic, but I have several other addictions I have been ashamed of my whole life. By the time I finished reading this insightful, compassionate, detailed book, I knew finally who I was, how I got that way and what I could do about it.
I honestly have no idea how anyone could read this book and give less than 5 stars. First of all, the 3-star reviewer totally missed several important points concerning Mate's actions at home and on the job. Money was given to his staff, not as a bribe, but as an incentive for him to stop being late and to give himself a little spiritual humbling. As for Mate's own addictions, I feel so much safer to be in the hands of a man who is frank and transparent with me and says, "Let's try this," rather than one who is distantly perfect and ultimately unknowable, who is given to uttering commands and pronouncements. I know who I would trust more.
Mate may suffer from ADD (which I also do) but let me assure you that his prose is every bit as fluid, clear and inspired as the prose you are presently reading. More, his writing is a joy to read. The book itself is very well presented, almost like a mystery story with as happy an ending as one can expect after several murders have been committed in the beginning! The book starts with the stories, the life histories and personality details of his patients. It goes on to then give the medical and psychological and political facts about addictive behavior, and the last chapters are devoted to help, healing and hope. It could not be more beautifully structured!
Although the structure is sectioned like three strong men stacked upon each other's shoulders, each of these men are holding to their side many beautiful women, arms gracefully out and offering wisdom.
Such as Mate's definition of the difference between passion and addiction: "The difference between passion and addiction is that between a divine spark and a flame that incinerates." He elaborates more in that chapter.
Another: "When we flee our vulnerability, we lose our full capacity for feeling emotion." Think of any tyrant who stoically watches as his people suffer, or a terrorist who kills innocents without a blink of remorse. These people are in deep denial and HAVE to believe they are invulnerable in order to do such things. They believe vulnerability equals "weak," rather than "open." So they protect themselves by killing others.
Mate' offers many more sideways and heads-on truths. I believe he gets his insights from not blaming. Not blaming opens him up to seeing things others, in their defensive and prejudiced postures, fail to see. He recognizes that, "at the core of all addictions there lies a spiritual void."
But you want facts, don't you? Okay. He says, "all addictions have a biological dimension." Proof? He offers a wealth of recent studies that are not one bit boring, but are so amazing they can take your breath away. These studies involve people, mice and monkeys. When 6,000 people who where taking prescribed narcotics for pain were studied there was found to be "no significant risk of addiction." Gee, you mean it's NOT the drugs that addict you? No, it's not! Among rat babies who were given appropriate mother-nurturing, none of them showed the slightest interest in a narcotic drip even after they'd been injected! Those who did self-medicate, were beseiged when they were babies with "emotional isolation, powerlessness, and stress." This will also "promote the neurobiology of addiction in human beings."
Mate' includes ALL addictions in his studies, such as smoking, alcoholism, shopaholic, sugar addict, workaholic, gambling, and more, ending with "there has never before been a generation so stressed and so starved of nurturing adult relationships." He takes it from the street and shows us addiction throughout the world. In short, we are ALL addicted to something -- and you know he is right. He refuses to point a finger "out there," but puts it where it belongs, aiming it at our own inner self. This confirms my own observations that we're destroying our outer world (Earth) because our inner world has, in a crucial way, been destroyed.
The hope Mate' offers is important. He knows that every one of us craves "love, creativity, spiritual quest, the drive for mastery and autonomy, the impulse to make a contribution." That describes me and I know it describes you. These are the best and most profound attributes of what being human means. But many of us were foiled at the very beginning, some even in the womb. The brain, however, can lay down new tracks which allow us to proceed in a different, healthier, happier direction.
I will go out on a strong limb of a mighty oak and say that this book is one of the first "most important" books of the 21st century. Every college kid, every politician, every medical person, every media person and every parent should read it. This book could save the world. Or, at the very least, your world. And that's world enough.In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction Overview

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Counted Out: Same-sex Relations and Americans' Definitions of Family (The American Sociological Association's Rose Series in Sociology) Review

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Counted Out: Same-sex Relations and Americans' Definitions of Family (The American Sociological Association's Rose Series in Sociology) ReviewCounted Out is a stellar overall count on who is interested to know about the contemporary American family; it demonstrates that American definitions of family are becoming more expansive This book's recognizes three groups of Americans: "traditionalists" who hold onto a more narrow definition of family; "tolerant" who are willing to count same-sex couples as family if children are involved; and "open-minded" who have a very broad view and tolerate any of family; it is a book for anyone.Counted Out: Same-sex Relations and Americans' Definitions of Family (The American Sociological Association's Rose Series in Sociology) Overview

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