March 2, 2006

Clarifying Differences Within the Coexistence/Peacebuilding Field:

Mapping Values, Behaviors and Limits of Collaboration

On March 2, 2006, Coexistence International and the Alliance for Peacebuilding co-sponsored a workshop at Harvard Law School aimed at exploring the commonalities and differences in the core values held by scholars, practitioners, activists, and advocates in the coexistence field. The event was part of a larger CI-led research inquiry that seeks to strengthen the field that includes coexistence, peacebuilding, and conflict resolution work.

With more than 20 conflict resolution practitioners and researchers participating, Cynthia Cohen facilitated the Human Barometer exercise, in which participants positioned themselves in different parts of the room depending on the extent to which they agreed with two differing statements.

CI defined a range of issues to explore, but given time constraints the group prioritized five key issues that they discussed in their groups along the spectrum and as a whole. A sampling of the issues explored include: the role that justice and rule of law play in post-conflict situations; affecting change through economic and political structures versus changes to social and cultural patterns; and the importance that measurement and evaluation have in conflict work.

The exercise and discussion that followed demonstrated that even within a group of 25 there was a diversity of opinion and approaches. Participants were eager to hear from colleagues who place themselves on different ends of the Human Barometer and to explore the underlying values, beliefs, and assumptions.

Read the overview of this Barometer workshop here.