John Paul Lederach on Facing Down a Civil War

John Paul Lederach on Facing Down a Civil War
“The key to real change is a wider set of people taking better responsibility for the wellbeing of the collective whole.”

John Paul and David Swanson connect in conversation grounded in the key insights of The Pocket Guide for Facing Down a Civil War. Together they discuss patterns of toxic polarization and the increasing tendency toward violence in the pursuit of politics in the United States. John Paul reflects on the ways dynamics and patterns of polarization build a system of sustained toxicity in the body politic, offering an encouragement to engage at the local, community level, to resist and transform these very patterns. He invites a practice of improbable dialogues — small sets of unusual people coming together from across sides of ideological and identity divides to connect and co-create proposals together — as a powerful way to shock the system of polarization. To transform cycles of violence, John Paul encourages: Start where you live. Connect and build relationships with people in your community who are un-like-minded. Attend with care to the daily making of democracy.

Swanson, David. “John Paul Lederach on Facing Down a Civil War.” Talk World Radio. January 21, 2025 (published).

Shared with the permission of David Swanson.

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