MBI Newsletter


MBI Newsletter

Newsletter #8

December 8, 2017


Beyond Intractability Redesigns and Expands Its Website

Rather than continuing to add new posts, we have spent the last several months massively revising the look, feel, and navigation of the BI and MBI site.  The new site has a much more "modern" look, simpler navigation, and many new materials for both conflict experts and general citizens.  The combined site now has six sections.  Four are educational, with a focus on explaining the causes of intractable conflict and how these conflicts can be addressed more constructively.  Two are for experts, hoping to seed a conversation about how we can "ramp up" our field to better meet the challenges of today's complex, intractable conflicts.

As part of this effort, we have a number of discussion posts that we hope our colleagues will engage in.  The first, overarching question we are considering is: 

How Do We Build Peace and Resolve Conflict in the Age of Hyper-Partisanship and Donald Trump?

If you haven't visited for awhile, I hope you'll check out the new site soon. We are also planning to start the two big seminars (the Conflict Frontiers Massive Open Online Seminar (MOOS) and the Conflict Fundamentals Seminar over at the beginning of after the first of the year.  So if you want to come in at the beginning and follow either of those through with us, then check back again. (We'll send one or two announcements once the date is firm.)

Our new sections include the following:

Things You Can Do to Help Blog

This explains in very brief posts, things that everyone (not just experts or leaders) can do to help make conflict interactions – both tractable and intractable – more constructive.  The posts are quick, easy to understand, and outline steps that are relatively easy to take. (For general audiences)  
Things You Can Do To Help Home | About | Follow | Join Discussions | Posts

The Conflict Frontiers "Massive Open Online Seminar" (MOOS)

This seminar examines strategies for advancing the frontier of the field by better addressing the scale and complexity of today’s society-wide conflicts. The seminar has short video posts and associated discussions, exploring ways to "scale-up" our field’s theory and practice so we can better limit the destructiveness usually associated with intractable conflicts.  Participants can visit off and on, or participate in the entire seminar.  The blog is being posted on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn as well as the MBI/BI site.  (For conflict experts and advanced students)
About | Syllabus | Read Discussions | FollowJoin Discussions | Posts

BI/CRInfo Knowledge Base

The original BI and CRInfo systems are now combined into the BI/CRInfo Knowledge Base, which has all the original material from both sites. The Knowledge Base presents generally-accepted theory and practice relating to both "tractable" and intractable conflicts.  While vast, there is no prescribed reading order or syllabus, as there is in the Conflict Fundamentals Seminar.  Search and browsing tools do, however, provide access to a vast collection of theoretical essays, case studies, expert scholar and practitioner interviews, practitioner reflections, book and article summaries, and more. (For conflict students and general audiences.)  Knowledge Base Home | About | Search

Conflict Fundamentals Seminar and Blog

This section contains lengthier (but still fairly short) readings and videos arranged in a suggested order (a syllabus) which highlight the conflict and peacebuilding field's fundamental building blocks. This is being built from original Knowledge-Base essays, which are updated to highlight "Current Implications." The blog is being posted on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn as well as the MBI/BI site. (For conflict students and general audiences.) Fundamentals Home | About | Syllabus | Follow | Posts

Beyond Intractability in Context Blog

This blog highlights one or two news and opinion articles on intractable conflict-related topics per day. The purpose is to show how intractable conflicts and conflict responses play out in the "real world." This is also being posted to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well as MBI/BI.  (For General Audiences)  BI in Context Home | Follow | Suggest Resource | Posts

Colleague Activities Blog

Many of our colleagues are making important contributions to effort to address the intractable conflict problem. We invite you to use this blog to share what you are doing so we can all learn from each other. (For conflict scholars and practitioners.)  Colleague Activities Homepage | About | Contribute Info | Posts

How to Help and Get Involved


BI Newsletters - General Announcements

Every two weeks or so, we will compile recent posts from our seminars and blogs into a newsletter that will be posted here and sent out by email to subscribers. You can sign up to receive your copy on our Newsletter Sign Up Page and find the latest newsletter as well as all past newsletters here on our Newsletter Archive page.

NOTE! If you signed up for this Newsletter and don't see it in your inbox, it might be going to one of your other emails folder (such as promotions, social, or spam).  Check there or search for news@beyondintractability.org, and if you still can't find it, please contact us