welcome to the john paul lederach archive

Suggestions to improve meetings through clarifying purpose, roles, and process.

A brief explanation of four essential elements for the healthy public expression of conflict.

The foreword to the second edition of the Berghof Handbook for Conflict Transformation.

The prelude to Oumar Farouk Sesay's book of poetry entitled The Edge of a Cry.

A contribution toward dialogue between mediators and activists through the offering of three ways for framing issues of peacebuilding and social change.

A brief article clarifying how North American definitions of mediation may produce crucial points of tension when directly exported to other cultures, as well as suggesting factors for mediators to consider when moving between different cultural settings.

A chart illustrating cultural expectations across stages of mediation along a spectrum from "pure formal" to "pure informal."

Guide posts for conflict managers to understand key aspects of the experience, structure, and dynamics of conflict.

A diagram illustrating the process and dynamics that unfold as social conflict escalates, shifting from constructive to destructive.