
John Paul Lederach's Work In The Field Of Conciliation And Mediation Is Internationally Recognized. As Founding Director Of The Conflict Transformation Program And Institute Of Peacebuilding At Eastern Mennonite University, He Has Provided Consultation And Direct Mediation In A Range Of Situations From The Miskito/sandinista Conflict In Nicaragua To Somalia, Northern Ireland, The Basque Country, And The Philippines. His Influential 1997 Book Building Peace Has Become A Classic In The Discipline. This New Book Represents His Thinking And Learning Over The Past Several Years. He Explores The Evolution Of His Understanding Of Peacebuilding By Reflecting On His Own Experiences In The Field. Peacebuilding, In His View, Is Both A Learned Skill And An Art. Finding This Art, He Says, Requires A Worldview Shift. Conflict Professionals Must Envision Their Work As A Creative Act - An Exercise Of What Lederach Terms The Moral Imagination.
How can practitioners of conflict transformation move beyond technical mediation to foster sustainable, long-term peace? John Paul Lederach, a veteran mediator with extensive experience in international hotspots ranging from Nicaragua to Northern Ireland, argues that effective peacebuilding requires a fundamental shift in worldview. He posits that peacebuilding is not merely a set of technical skills but a creative act that demands the exercise of the moral imagination to envision possibilities beyond the immediate constraints of conflict.
What You Will Find
Experts in the field of peace studies recognize this work as a significant contribution to the literature on conflict transformation. Readers frequently note that the prose is accessible yet deeply philosophical, making it a foundational text for both practitioners and students of international relations.
Page Count:
216
Publication Date:
2004-01-01
Publisher:
Ebsco Publishing
ISBN-10:
0198038941
ISBN-13:
9780198038948
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