Transformative Dialogue

Erik Cleven, Ph.D., is professor of international relations and comparative politics at Saint Anselm College, specializing in the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) efforts to transform political violence and conflict to peace through transformative dialogue. For many years, he worked in high-conflict areas including Yugoslavia, the North Caucasus, and Central and East Africa, using dialogue to transform conflict. His current research focuses on transnational terrorism’s connections to press freedom and press attention. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation (ISCT). Judith A. Saul is mediator and facilitator of the Community Dispute Resolution Centers Program of the Unified Court System of the State of New York, and a roster member of the United States Institute of Environmental Conflict Resolution. She is a Fellow of and serves on the Board of Directors of the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation (ISCT). She formerly taught at Hofstra University School of Law, was a founding member of the National Association of Mediation in Education, and through her committee work for the American Bar Association, collaborated with the National Commission on Uniform State Law to develop and draft a Uniform Mediation Act.

Table of Contents

1. Transformative Dialogue: An Introduction – Judith A. Saul and Erik Cleven

2. Transformative Conversations: The value of one-on-one Conversations for Transformative Dialogue - Erik Cleven

3. Co-Creation: The Heart of Transformative Dialogue from the Moment of First Contact - Cherise D. Hairston

4. Families in Crisis: A Unique Application of Transformative Dialogue - Susan Jordan and Meredith Lemons

5. Working with Transformative Dialogue in Large Healthcare Organizations Organizational Settings – Anja Bekink and Angie Gaspar

6. Using Transformative Dialogue to Address Concerns about Racism in the Workplace - Lida M van den Broek

7. Another Voice in Dayton, Ohio: The Story of a Community Dialogue - Thomas Wahlrab

8. Using Transformative Dialogue to Bridge Racial Divides - Vicki and Dusty Rhoades

9. The Dayton Police Reform Process: Lessons from Transformative Dialogue in Dayton, Ohio – Arch Grieve

10. External Constraints versus Party Choice: Transformative Dialogue as a Tool for Planning and Decision-making – Judith A. Saul

11. Transformative Conversations: A Journey Through Community Dialogue in Somalia - Vesna Matović

12. Navigating Dialogue in Complex Conflict Systems: The Transformative Dialogue Experiences of Interpeace-Kenya Kenya – Abiosseh Davis and Jared L. Ordway

13. Asymmetries Among Allies: How Working Transformatively Can Contribute to Dialogue in Wartime Ukraine – Josh Nadeau

14. Monitoring and Evaluating Relational Outcomes in Transformative Dialogue Processes - Erik Cleven

Bibliography

Index

About the Editors and Contributors