This comprehensive analysis of all kinds of social and political conflicts reveals an important, but neglected truth: conflicts often are waged constructively. Constructive Conflicts: From Escalation to Resolution makes it clear how that can occur at each stage of a conflict's course-from emergence, escalation, de-escalation, termination, and finally, to resolution. Kriesberg compares and synthesizes a wide variety of theoretical approaches, drawing from the social sciences, especially sociology, political science, anthropology, and social psychology, but also from the newer interdisciplinary fields of conflict resolution, peace studies, feminism, and security studies. Case studies and quantitative data about a wide variety of conflicts are used, including community and labor management conflicts, class and political revolutionary struggles, and gender-related struggles in small and large-scale settings. Kriesberg gives particular attention to major inter-state and inter-ethnic conflicts. These include the American Civil Rights struggle of the 1960s, the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union and its transformation, and the tranformations of the Israeli-Arab conflicts. Drawing on past and current theory, research, and practice, Constructive Conflicts presents a systematic and coherent approach to understanding how a wide variety of struggles can be waged constructively in a new global context.
About the Author :
Louis Kriesberg is professor emeritus of sociology and Maxwell Professor Emeritus of Social Conflict Studies at Syracuse University.
Review :
"Kriesberg . . . is one of the few people at home with the literature of conflict resolution and international politics, of psychology, sociology, and political science, moving readily back and forth between them. His judgements are insightful and judicious. . . . The sweep and balance of the analysis make it a good choice for a textbook in a graduate or undergraduate course on conflict resolution." --Roy Licklider, Rutgers University, Political Science Quarterly
"Captures the complexity of major disputes and shows how cycles of constructive and destructive actions coexist and play out over time. This is a must read for scholars and practitioners in the field." --Deborah M. Kolb, Harvard Law School
"This comprehensive book should become THE analytical bible for those who want to direct the energies generated by conflict, on any scale and in any place, into constructive channels." --Harold H. Saunders, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near East and South Asia
"Dr. Kriesberg has once again produced a work that learnedly covers the whole of the conflict cycle from emergence to solution. He has done so with remarkable clarity and coherence, and backs up this theoretical argument with apt examples from recent conflicts. . . . Excellent." --Chris R. Mitchell, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University
"An impressive statement of where we are now in conflict resolution. . . . The sweep and balance of the analysis make it a good choice for a textbook in a graduate or undergraduate course on conflict resolution." --Political Science Quarterly
"Kriesberg's calm, incisive and well-written analysis of the varieties and processes of conflicts reminds us that conflicts can be constructive, that they have predictable sequences, and that there are many alternative strategies for handling each successive stage. By focusing on constructive conflict sequences in a variety of contexts, including civil rights struggles, terrorism, ethnic conflicts in various regions and inter-state struggles, he shows that conflicts over identity politics or political or economic interests need not inevitably become destructive. . . . This book is the fruit of a lifetime of study of conflicts, including so-called intractable conflicts, and will be an important resource for peace researchers, students in the social sciences and-not least of all-citizen activists." --Elise Boulding, Dartmouth College
"Predestined to become a leading textbook in conflict studies. . . . The field is very well covered, and the references to the literature are extensive. But above all, the book is optimistic, at every stage pointing out how conflicts can be used constructively. Highly recommended." --Johan Galtung, professor of peace studies; founder, TRANSCEND: A Network for Conflict Transformation By Peaceful Means
"The work by Louis Kreisberg is one of the best works available on conflict theory, providing a veritable textbook on the state-of-art of the discipline(s). . . . Suffice it to say that it is an absolute must for anyone interested in conflict studies." --Nod and Conversion
"It does not happen too often that a reviewer of a new publication has nothing more to offer than praise and a strong recommendation for experts and laymen to study the book and the riches it holds. . . . One can only hope and wish that such a fundamental work will be read by scholars and practitioners alike and that future students of human conflict will benefit from this outstanding and enriching expansion of the interdisciplinary understanding of peace and conflict in human society." --Peace Forum
"Louis Kriesberg's book is a gift to those of us attempting to make sense of what often seem to be senseless conflicts. We must thank him! . . . The book is highly recommended, not least because it is written in comprehensible English. It is unburdened by jargon and avoids the stream of consciousness literary style so favored by many in the field of conflict studies." --Roger MacGinty, Lancaster University, Ethnic Conflict Research Digest
"Over the years, Louis Kriesberg's prolific research has greatly assisted our understanding of conflicts and their resolution. Constructive Conflicts represents the culmination of the author's past work integrated with other major advances in the field to date. Kriesberg's latest work constitutes a major contribution to peace studies. It should serve as a useful resource for years to come." --Social Forces
"Social conflicts are an inherent part of human life, but they vary in their destructiveness. This book analyzes why some struggles deteriorate terribly and become highly destructive for all parties, while others do not....Concludes that constructive ways of waging conflicts are more important than ever....Highly detailed and clearly an authoritative statement on conflict resolution." --Future Survey
