What's Happening [05.21.13]

The "What's Happening?" Blog is a weekly round up of the all the ADR news, jobs, events and more. Check it out each week!

When to Talk to Monsters

THE United States and Russia will soon hold a peace conference aimed at ending the Syrian civil war, which has killed more than 70,000 people, displaced millions of others and threatened the stability of the entire region.

The Obama administration’s decision to engage Russia in diplomatic talks is a good but belated one. Russia, a key backer of the Syrian government, cannot by itself end the war, any more than the United States can. But together with countries likeBritain, there is a chance, however slim, of a diplomatic breakthrough. The real shortcoming of the administration’s policy on Syria has not been an unwillingness to engage militarily — as critics of President Obama have suggested — but the ill-advised decision, in August 2011, to preclude the possibility of a diplomatic resolution involving all sides...

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Negotiating the “crowded field” of mediation

Most armed conflicts are resolved not by force but at the negotiating table. However, the growing number of mediation actors seen in recent years can be counterproductive, according to a recent study by Swiss authors.

“Sometimes it’s a race for the Nobel Peace prize,” admitted Rachel Gasser from swisspeace, the Swiss Peace Foundation. “A growing number of actors are seeking opportunities to engage in peace-making.”

64K Survey Respondents state Tomorrow's Leaders will be Flexible, S...

Judging Others When You Don't Realize It

Jeff Thompson- I want [the trainees] to notice how they are sitting there judging- listening with judgment [thinking] ‘does this sound right [or] ‘does this sound wrong.’ I say [to the trainees] you are never going to be able to hide that; you cannot hide that nonverbally, I don’t care how perfect your reframes are,...

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