THE CONCORD - Harvard University · PDF fileThe literary works contained in this publication...

CONCORD

How to BuildSocial Capital

AcrossCommunities

T H E

Barbara J. Nelson

Linda Kaboolian

Kathryn A. Carver

H A N D B O O K

Many thanks to Lezlee Hinesman Matthews, Bill Parent, and Nga Nguyen-Scott.

On the cover (clockwise starting from top): Image of the world, student artwork,Malone Integrated College, Belfast, Northern Ireland; *Seeds of Peace

International Camp, Maine, USA; **Graffiti, Derry, Northern Ireland; OakwoodIntegrated Primary School, Belfast, Northern Ireland; Mural, lobby of MaloneIntegrated College, Belfast, Northern Ireland; **Foundation Stones for Lasting

Peace mural, Belfast, Northern Ireland;

Cover photos by Kathryn A. Carver unless indicated otherwise.*Photo courtesy of Seeds of Peace

**Photo courtesy of Kathryn Conrad

This page: Center City, Belfast, Northern Ireland, photo by Kathryn A. Carver

Design by Stan Paul

The Concord Project

UCLA School of Public Policy and Social Research

3284 Public Policy Building, Box 951656

337 Charles E. Young Drive, East

Los Angeles, CA 90095

USA

Tel: 310-794-5523

Fax: 310-206-5773

Email: [email protected]

http://concord.sppsr.ucla.edu

Barbara J. Nelson

Linda Kaboolian

Kathryn A. Carver

How to BuildSocial Capital

AcrossCommunities

CONCORDT H E

H A N D B O O K

The Concord Handbook: How to Build Social Capital Across Communities

Copyright 2003, Barbara J. Nelson, Linda Kaboolian, Kathryn A. Carver

Copyright in all original works of authorship contained in this publication is owned by Barbara J. Nelson, LindaKaboolian and Kathryn A. Carver. These materials may be used, reproduced or reprinted, provided that such use is fornon-commercial or personal use only and the following copyright notice appears in all copies: “The Concord Handbook:How to Build Social Capital Across Communities. Copyright 2003 Barbara J. Nelson, Linda Kaboolian, Kathryn A.Carver.” The literary works contained in this publication may not be modified in any way. All rights in photographs,illustrations, artworks, and other graphic materials are reserved.

ISBN: 0-9658871-8-9

CONCORDT H E

H A N D B O O K

CONCORDI. II. III.

About the Concord ProjectUrgent ProblemsThe Handbook as Part of the Solution

IDEASI. II. III. IV. V.

What Concord Organizations DoConcord ActivitiesCross-Community WorkSocial Capital and Concord OrganizationsOrganizational Challenges

LESSONSI. II.

Design Principles and Necessary PracticesUsing the 10 Organizational Lessons

ACTIONI. II.

What Leaders Can DoActivities and Exemplars

10Principles

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5568911

131319

212122

ConcordI. ABOUT THE CONCORD PROJECT

Part 1

The Concord Project is an internationalresearch and action program whose mis-sion is to strengthen “concord organiza-

tions,” which bring together people with funda-mentally opposing views or identities for the pur-pose of promoting civil society while recognizinggroup differences. In research, the Project identi-fies concord organizations and investigates the

characteristics that make them successful at creat-ing “bridging social capital”–the human and orga-nizational resources that span social differences.In practice, the Project disseminates its findingswidely, through written materials and trainingprograms to nonprofits, NGOs, governmentalorganizations, foundations, and businesses inter-ested in developing stronger cross-communitystructures and leadership skills.

1

CCoonccoorrd: Agrreemment between perrssoonss; ccoonccurrrrencce in

feeling and oopinioon; harrmmoony, accccoorrd. A sstate oof peacce

and ammity between ccoontending parrtiess oorr natioonss; a trreaty

esstablisshing ssucch rrelatioonss. (Oxfoorrd EEnglissh DDicctioonarry)

The Concord Handbook

How to Build Social Capital Across Communities

2

TThhee PPllaacceess

This Handbook is based on models of actiondeveloped in more than 100 concord organizationsin four geographical areas–the United States,Northern Ireland, South Africa, Israel, andPalestine. Each region has a history of imaginativeconcord activities as well as long-standing inter-group conflict. All share an English colonial histo-ry; some have other colonial experiences as well.All have groups that were excluded from full citi-zenship through legal disenfranchisement, forcedresettlement, apartheid, or genocide. Economicdisadvantage has accompanied political limitations.In each of these places, marginalized groups arepoorer, on average, than those with a longer histo-ry of political incorporation. The tasks of eco-nomic development are different in each place, butcrucial for full participation and a positive future.The success of concord organizations is helped byspecific conditions. Cross-community work bene-fits greatly from effective democratic politicalarrangements and a lasting commitment to low

levels of violence by the state and by members ofdifferent communities. These ideal conditions arerarely fully met. At this time the lack of a viableMiddle East political solution and the escalatingviolence between Israelis and Palestinians havereduced dramatically the concord activity thatbegan in the Oslo period. We have included someof the more durable concord organizations in theregion, in recognition of their work and as a sign-post of what will be important when peace occurs.

TThhee PPeeooppllee

Barbara J. Nelson is Dean of the UCLA Schoolof Public Policy and Social Research. LindaKaboolian is a faculty member at the John F.Kennedy School of Government at HarvardUniversity. Kathryn A. Carver is a health andhuman rights lawyer. We wish to thank the manypeople and organizations that welcomed us and theW. K. Kellogg Foundation for its support. TheConcord Project may be found on the World WideWeb at hhttttpp::////ccoonnccoorrdd..ssppppssrr..uuccllaa..eedduu..

(L-r) Library mural in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Organizational history banner at IDASA, Pretoria, South Africa.

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The most urgent problems facing the worldtoday are conflicts over religion, ethnicity,race, and values. These conflicts arise as

much within countries as between them.Democracy, economic development, and peacehang in the balance if ways are not found to workeffectively across these divides.

Color and class divide Americans. Religionand national aspirations divide the NorthernIrish. Color and economic development divideSouth Africans. Identity and aspirations for state-hood divide Israelis and Palestinians. Clashes overidentity and values, with their intense personaland cultural meanings, often prove more intransi-gent than conflicts over resources. Successful solu-tions to battles over identity and values dependon effective democratic political arrangements anda lasting reduction of violence. But success alsodepends on working across communities in every-day life, work that is fostered by strong “concordorganizations.”

CCoonccoorrd oorrganizatioonss brring

toogetherr peoople with funda-

mmentally ooppoossing viewss oorr

identitiess foorr the purrpoosse oof

prroommooting ccivil ssoocciety while

rreccoognizing grrooup differrenccess.

Conditions for SuccessfulCross-CCommunity Work

Effective Democratic Political Arrangements

Lasting Reduction of Violence

Strong Concord Organizationsand Activities

Around the globe, thousands of concordorganizations provide durable, thoughtful settingsfor people to act together to solve their jointproblems. Concord organizations undertake awide variety of activities: dialogue programs, wit-ness activities (demonstrating an alternative futureby living together or sharing scarce space), educa-tion and training, conflict mediation, communityservice, and economic development. Examples ofconcord organizations include the NationalConference for Community and Justice, a humanrelations organization in the United States;Corrymeela, a sponsor of dialogue programs thatbrings together Protestants and Catholics inNorthern Ireland; the National Centre for HumanRights Education and Training of the SouthAfrican Human Rights Commission, whichdesigns programs for newly integrated schoolsand work places; and Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salaam in Israel, a village of forty Jewish andArab families living together in Israel.

CCOONNCCOORRDD::

II. URGENT PROBLEMS


3

The Concord Handbook is designed to aidthose who want to strengthen existing con-cord organizations or start new ones. The

Handbook presents both the ideas that underpinsuccessful concord work and the design principlesand necessary practices for running effectiveorganizations. This dual approach, ideas andactions, corresponds to that of the leaders of con-cord organizations whose work combinesthoughtful reflection and effective practice.

The Concord Handbook is written for currentand future leaders: the presidents, boards, and

senior staff of organizations with cross-communi-ty missions, leaders of single-identity communitiesinterested in moving toward engagement withother communities, scholars who study social cap-ital, and public officials and foundation and busi-ness executives who value effective bridge build-ing. The Handbook provides a place to engagewith ideas, a starting point for discussion, asource of practical organizational design princi-ples, and a reference for connecting with success-ful organizations engaged in cross-communitywork.

III. THE HANDBOOK AS PART OF THESOLUTION

4

CCOONNCCOORRDD::

Oakwood Integrated Primary School, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

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Ideas


I. WHAT CONCORD ORGANIZATIONS DO

Concord organizations provide a setting forpeople from antagonistic communities topursue common goals: a better life for their

children, a reduction of violence, a wiser use ofresources, or a greater fulfillment of the yearningfor personal connection and the ability to make adifference.

Concord organizations are mostly found incivil society, among nonprofit institutions andnon-governmental organizations (NGOs), operat-ing independently of state control and marketforces. Occasionally, however, decentralized andsomewhat autonomous public institutions are con-stituted as concord organizations. For example,in Northern Ireland, the effort to create religiouslyintegrated schools began in neighborhood concordgroups. The 46 tax-supported schools that edu-cate Catholics and Protestants together are exam-ples of public concord organizations. In SouthAfrica, another example of a government-support-ed concord organization is the National Centrefor Human Rights Education and Training of theSouth African Human Rights Commission, whoseprograms teach skills that help cross the chasmsof color and community in South Africa.

Both in civil society and in government, con-cord organizations often begin when the costs ofcontinuing conflict seem high and the opportunityfor better understanding through joint action alsoseems high. These conditions typically occur attwo quite different stages of conflicts–stalematesand new beginnings. Long-standing conflicts with-out decisive winners can sap resources needed foreveryday life and expose communities to the con-tinuing pain of violence. The frustrating feelingthat “the situation can’t go on like this anylonger” can prompt the creation of concordorganizations–as it did in the case of abortion dia-logues in the United States after a spate of vio-lence against clinics and doctors. But concordorganizations also start in the wake of politicaland legal changes that encourage hope and ideal-ism–as was the case in creating the AbrahamFund, a not-for-profit organization dedicated topromoting coexistence between the Jewish andArab citizens of Israel; The Conflict Mediationand Transformation Practice, which mediates dis-putes between groups in South Africa; and TheBelfast Interface Project, which works with com-munity groups on both sides of Belfast’s “peacelines”–the often violent boundaries between reli-giously and politically segregated neighborhoods.

5

II. CONCORD ACTIVITIES

The best way to understand concord organi-zations is through their activities. Concordorganizations engage in six kinds of work

that range along a continuum from initial encoun-ters, to mediated discussion, to joint actions. Themost durable concord organizations have actionprograms that go beyond dialogue.

DDiiaalloogguuee GGrroouuppss

Dialogue groups provide structured, oftenmediated, conversations among those with funda-mentally opposing views, experiences, and hopes,with the purpose of greater understanding and arecognition of common humanity, but not of con-version. In the United States, the 25 local groupsof Common Ground for Life and Choice broughttogether “pro-life” and “pro-choice” advocatesfor sustained and facilitated interactions, dia-logues organized around irreconcilable political,religious, and ethical beliefs. Corrymeela, a long-standing concord group in Northern Ireland,strengthens cross-community ties through partici-patory and collaborative short-term residencies.

WWiittnneessss AAccttiivviittiieess

Witness activities demonstrate in the lives ofindividuals the ability to live together with a com-mon future. In Belfast, Northern Ireland, thesmall Cornerstone Community of Protestants andCatholics inhabits a house bordering two single-religion neighborhoods. Through their everydayactions of good faith and friendship, as well asjoint community projects, they enact the future asthey wish it to be. So, too, the small communityof Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salaam, comprised of40 Jewish and Arab Israeli families, live togetheras an intentionally diverse village. Another exam-ple is Genesis, a joint effort of more than twodecades in which two American congregations,one Episcopalian and the other Jewish, built andshare one sanctuary to house their very differentcongregations. Sometimes the two congregations

work together on social service projects, butmostly they work to understand and live in har-mony with each other’s religious traditions as theyshare one building. Genesis demonstrates thatconcord organizations can serve practical, in thiscase financial, as well as social needs.

EEdduuccaattiioonn aanndd TTrraaiinniinngg

Education and training activities teachapproaches and skills for working with peoplefrom different communities. In the United States,The National Conference for Community andJustice (NCCJ) conducts residential training forcommunity youth educators, disseminates curricu-lum, and organizes “national conversations” atthe local level. Facing History and Ourselves,which teaches about genocide and racism andbuilds resilience to hate in young people, alsoworks in local chapters in the United States.Similarly, the Leadership Development inIntergroup Relations (LDIR) program providesbackground, skills, and working opportunitiesthat enable people proactively to address racerelations issues, working in Southern Californiaand several American cities. Seeds of PeaceInternational Camp is an American camp pro-

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IIDDEEAASS::

Facing History students, Massachusetts, USA.

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gram for children from divided societies. Theintegrated school movement in Northern Ireland,exemplified by the Oakwood Integrated PrimarySchool and the Malone Integrated College (a sec-ondary school), provides effective education forCatholic and Protestant children together. TheNational Centre for Human Rights Education andTraining of the South African Human RightsCommission develops partnerships with mixedcommunity schools to make “non racial” educa-tion more successful. The Youth 21 project, basedin South Africa, provides leadership training for2,100 teenagers from six countries and many eth-nic, racial, and tribal groups.

CCoonnfflliicctt MMaannaaggeemmeenntt aanndd MMeeddiiaattiioonn

Conflict management and mediation interven-tions respond to specific instances of conflict orteach positive solutions to problems that mightotherwise flare into violence. The Mediation andTransformation Practice, located in Cape Town,South Africa, trains community leaders in cross-community conflict mediation techniques andbrings its services to ethnically based communityconflicts. The Belfast Interface Project, a member-ship organization, works with community groupsin adjoining Catholic/nationalist and Protestant/unionist neighborhoods to reduce violence at theso-called “peace lines” that define the boundariesof the communities.

CCoommmmuunniittyy SSeerrvviiccee

Community service addresses social needs inthe context of cross-community work. TheParents’ Circle-Families Forum, a group ofbereaved families supporting reconciliation andpeace in Israel and Palestine, established a high-tech communication system called “Hello,Salaam! Hello, Shalom!” that allows Israelis andPalestinians who want a personal connection withsomeone from the other side to phone, withoutcharge or identification, a person willing to talkand listen. The youth violence prevention programof the Centre for the Study of Violence andReconciliation in South Africa combines educationwith community service in a number of

Johannesburg’s most troubled neighborhoods.The now completed Three Valleys Project in theU.S. brought together Latinos, whites, RussianOld Believers, and others in a yearly cultural fairin the Hood River Valley region in Oregon. TheCommunity Foundation for Northern Ireland (for-merly the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust) mon-etarily supports cross-community social serviceorganizations, among many other concord groups.

EEccoonnoommiicc DDeevveellooppmmeenntt

Economic development improves the abilitiesof individuals and groups to shape their economicfuture. Project Change Albuquerque establishedthe Project Change Fair Lending Center, whichopened up credit for low-income, often minority,homeowners and businesses while also engagingfinancial institutions in training for inclusivebanking. The Three Valleys Project in Oregonused a community listening process to design acenter city plaza plan that met the needs of all ofits ethnic communities. IDASA, the Institute forDemocracy in South Africa, offered a program inrural communities in Kwa Zulu Natal that trainedtraditional leaders to bargain more effectively ineconomic planning with government authorities.The distinctive character of these developmentactivities is that they are rooted in working acrosscommunities for economic improvement.


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Affordable housing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

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The language used to describe efforts to workacross historic conflicts differs from place toplace. “Cross-community work” is a

Northern Irish phrase, one chosen for use in thisHandbook because it reflects the multinationalcharacter of an international handbook.1 In theUnited States, cross-community work often fallsunder the rubrics of anti-racism, multiculturalism,and diversity enhancement programs. In Palestineand Israel, and also in Northern Ireland, it is oftendescribed as a component of peace building thatoccurs in civil society. Interestingly, South Africansengaged in cross-community work tend not to labeltheir activities. The primacy of economic develop-ment and the impact of a necessary but flawed truthand reconciliation process have created a curiouslack of discussion about cross-community work.Most South Africans who engage in cross-communi-ty work think of it as a part of a broad economicdevelopment and leadership strategy, one thatallows poor communities to develop institutionaland personal resources in order to function effec-tively in new decision-making structures.

SSiinnggllee-CCoommmmuunniittyy WWoorrkk

The Northern Irish have also identified theimportance of “single-community” or “single-iden-tity” work, which describes efforts within a commu-nity to develop community identities, skills, andorganizational capacities that permit successfulcross-community work.2 Communities in dividedsocieties often define membership in terms of theirantagonistic relations with their opponents. Forexample, in Northern Ireland being one religion canmostly mean hating the other religion, even morethan it constitutes a particular theology. Or it maymean identifying only as a victim of the other reli-gion. Engaging in cross-community work requiresdeveloping a larger and more independent identityof one’s own group, an identity of accomplishmentsand self-determination based on a tempered under-standing of history and a willingness to recognize adiversity of views and experiences within one’sgroup. This larger sense of identity contributes tothe personal and group readiness to engage success-fully with those from other communities. Single-

community organizations are often important spon-sors or partners in cross-community projects, espe-cially when the development of cross-communityskills is an important organizational goal.

CCrroossss-CCoommmmuunniittyy WWoorrkk aanndd PPoolliittiiccaallAArrrraannggeemmeennttss

Will concord organizations and projects, bythemselves, create the political and social changesnecessary to end long-standing conflicts? No.Those who yearn for positive solutions to the prob-lems of racially divided American cities, sectarianfighting in Northern Ireland, or bloodshed in the Middle East, often ask this question. Cross-community work, and the concord organizationsthat sustain it, are not a substitute for mechanismsthat alter basic political arrangements or provideneutral forums for resolving specific disputes.Historically, concord organizations have sometimesacted as incubators for larger political settlementsor significant social changes, but that is not theirprimary role. Instead, concord organizations play acritical role in maintaining the political and socialchanges that occur as longstanding conflicts decline.

Table 1: Conflict Reduction Methods vs. Building Bridging Social Capital

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III. CROSS-CCOMMUNITY WORKIIDDEEAASS

MMeetthhooddss ffoorr AAlltteerriinngg BBaassiicc PPoolliittiiccaall AArrrraannggeemmeennttss::

Peace negotiations and treatiesPower-sharing decisions within countries

MMeetthhooddss ffoorr RReessoollvviinngg SSppeecciiffiicc DDiissppuutteess::

International courtsDomestic courtsCollective bargainingAlternative dispute resolution mechanisms

MMeetthhooddss ffoorr BBuuiillddiinngg BBrriiddggiinngg SSoocciiaall CCaappiittaall::Dialogue groupsSmall scale witness activitiesEducation and training activitiesConflict management and mediationCommunity serviceEconomic development


Both cross-community and single-communityactivities build assets for societies. Theseassets are often called “social capital,” or

the personal, relational, and organizationalresources available to improve community life andsolve social problems.3 Social capital comes inmany forms: psychological overviews, or frames;individual skills; informal networks andexchanges; organizations that allow for long termaction; and activities and programs of doing worktogether. These assets foster trust, mutual obliga-tion, and cooperation. Social capital is the mortarof civic engagement and community involvement.Where social capital is high, individuals feel asense of belonging, empathy with others, responsi-bility, and motivation to solve common problems.In the United States, for example, communities

with higher levels of social capital (e.g., wherethere are many neighborhood associations, sportsclubs, and active religious institutions) enjoy moreeconomic health and social well being.

““BBoonnddiinngg”” vvss ““BBrriiddggiinngg”” SSoocciiaallCCaappiittaall

Social capital can enhance relationships andproblem solving among members of groups orcommunities. By far, “bonding” social capital,which connects people of similar identities andvalues, is more common than “bridging” socialcapital, which spans social differences. Thisasymmetry favoring bonding social capital is espe-cially evident in divided societies, and creates adifficult democratic dilemma.

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IV. SOCIAL CAPITAL AND CONCORDORGANIZATIONS

IIDDEEAASS::

Campers at Seeds of Peace International Camp in Maine, USA.

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The bonding social capital that connects indi-viduals sharing a common identity can also be thesource of destabilizing social conflict. To theextent that individuals find it easier to interactwithin common dimensions of religion, ethnicity,race, or deeply held values, they develop exclusivenetworks of social capital. Belonging to a com-munity confers obligations and rights on whichmembers can rely. But implicit in the definition ofmembership is the definition of the “other,” out-siders who do not belong, for whom there are fewif any obligations, and about whom assumptionsand expectations are uncertain. It is a short dis-tance to the sense that norms regulating behaviorwithin groups need not apply in dealings with“others.”

As a result, bonding social capital, which con-nects similar individuals and lubricates actionwithin a social network, can simultaneously rein-force the differences and social distance betweenmembers of the network and “others.” Membersof cohesive groups can easily experience outsidersas less than the self. Societies with multiple, inter-nally-cohesive and separate communities face spe-cial challenges, particularly when these communi-ties exist in larger economic and political hierar-chies, such as uneven access to jobs or differences

in citizenship. These separate communities andtheir members can experience recurring cycles ofcompetition, opportunism, and antagonism, whichfurther increase distance and reinforce communalseparation. In its extreme form, hyper-communal-ism, especially if it is associated with violence,erodes the chances for daily democracy in diversesocieties. Ethnic strife and genocide are the mostextreme manifestations of the failure of largersocieties to contain diverse communities simulta-neously.

The solution to this dilemma is to balance thebonds of social capital that define individualswithin a community with “bridges” to outsidersand their communities. In contrast to the embed-ded interactions and natural affinities that are thebasis of bonding capital, bridging capital is builtthrough intentional action away from homoge-neous networks. Concord organizations and proj-ects are important examples of institutions thatpurposefully build bridging social capital.Establishing relationships with others acrossboundaries requires taking the time to learn aboutthem and to negotiate new norms of action. Theassumed trust and understanding of homogeneousgroups need to be built in heterogeneous ones.

EEsstablisshing rrelatioonsshipsswith ootherrss accrroossss booundarriess

rrequirress taking the timme too learrnaboout themm and too negootiatenew noorrmmss oof acctioon. The

assssummed trrusst and underrsstand-ing oof hoommoogeneoouss grrooupss

need too be built inheterroogeneoouss ooness.

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Center City, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

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The biggest barrier to creating bridging socialcapital is the lack of organizations that pro-vide durable settings for the continuous

learning necessary for successful cross-communitywork. Concord organizations, and single-commu-nity groups that undertake bridging work, are cru-cial to building bridging social capital because theyhold newly developing values, allow for learningover time, create places where new personal rela-tionships can develop, and establish norms thatcreate new expectations for ways to interact.Concord organizations, in particular, provide whatpsychologists call “safe holding environments” thatallow people from profoundly different perspec-tives to work together.

Creating and maintaining concord organiza-tions is difficult. Indeed, the design principles andnecessary practices presented in the next sectionarise from the efforts to overcome the severe diffi-culties in establishing organizations that bridgesocial differences. Like all groups, concord organi-zations face two organizational challenges, which,if not overcome, can prevent their establishment or

success. The first challenge is the need for potentialparticipants to recognize their common interests.The second is the need to overcome the all-too-human tendency for potential participants to letothers start organizations and then to reap thebenefits of using the organization. This “free rid-ing” means that it is personally less costly to waitand let others create new organizations that willstart useful projects. Bystanders then enjoy thefruits of other people’s labor without making anyeffort.4

These organizational challenges are much moredemanding for concord organizations, composedof people whose groups have deep conflicts.Consider the first challenge–the need for similarinterests. People of the same faith join together ina congregation. Those in the same trade establisha union. The congregation or the union is createdbecause of similarities that matter and differencesthat can mostly be ignored. Not so for concordorganizations, which do not form unless theirfounders can overcome the “no takers” problem,that is, the problem that people separated by

The biggesst barrrrierr too ccrreating

brridging ssooccial ccapital iss the

lacck oof oorrganizatioonss that

prroovide durrable ssettingss foorr

the ccoontinuoouss learrning

neccessssarry foorr ssuccccessssful

ccrroossss-ccoommmmunity woorrk.


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V. ORGANIZATIONAL CHALLENGESIIDDEEAASS::

Apartheid chess set at IDASA, Pretoria, South Africa.

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antagonistic identities or values rarely see the rea-son to form a joint organization. The first task increating a concord organization is to discover andamplify a common value so important that ittakes precedence over the identities and valuesthat divide people.

The second challenge, “free riding,” is moredifficult to overcome, for organizations in generaland especially for concord organizations. Butconcord organizations, with their participantsfrom antagonistic communities, open a windowon how this problem can be surmounted in allorganizations. If prospective participants in anygroup are driven only by the logic of low costconsumption, they will always want the benefitsof belonging to a group without paying thecosts–time, expertise, money, and social risk–tocreate them. According to this reasoning, it isalways more rational to wait and let other peoplecreate the organization. Conventional organiza-tions, especially those that provide economic ben-efits, overcome the free rider problem in part bylowering the cost of participation for individualaction or by providing “side payments,” induce-ments such as community recognition, personal

honor, leadership positions, or more concretely,monetary benefits that encourage people to startor join an organization.

But concord organizations rarely provide eco-nomic benefits. Concord organizations force areconceptualization of the logic of group forma-tion. Rather than being driven by the logic of lowcost consumption, those who start concord organ-izations are driven by the value of investment.Concord organizations and their activities areinvestments in bridging relationships that aremade even while other issues deeply divide poten-tial participants. Certainly, participants want toknow that the amount they will “spend” is rea-sonable. But what participants want most is agood return on their effort in terms of the build-ing blocks of a heterogeneous democracy:acknowledgment, legitimization, understanding,new options. These in turn make possible moretangible benefits such as less violence, better edu-cation, or more economic development. Saidanother way, those who start concord organiza-tions want a high democratic interest rate fortheir efforts rather than a low cost for their par-ticipation. They are investors, not consumers.

The “Noo Takerrss” Prrooblemm:

CCoonccoorrd oorrganizatioonss doo noot

foorrmm unlessss theirr foounderrss

ccan ooverrccoomme the “noo takerrss”

prrooblemm, that iss, the prrooblemm

that peoople sseparrated by

antagoonissticc viewss oorr identi-

tiess rrarrely want too foorrmm a

jooint oorrganizatioon.

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Anti-apartheid monument at IDASA, Pretoria, South Africa.

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Successful concord organizations developstructures and behaviors that manage endur-ing pressures, the same pressures that keep

people from antagonistic groups from seeing theircommon interests and investing in their jointfutures. This section identifies ten organizationalelements common to strong concord organiza-

tions. The first four are “design principles” whichare structural and normative elements.5 Theremaining six are “necessary practices,” that is,essential ways to enact the design principles.Strong concord organizations use all these princi-ples and practices as an integrated whole.

I. DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND NECESSARYPRACTICES

13

Lessons


Craig Arendse, director of The Mediation and Transformation Practice, Cape Town, South Africa, teaching at UCLA.

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11.. DDeessiiggnn PPrriinncciippllee:: PPrroommootteeOOvveerraarrcchhiinngg VVaalluueess..

Successful concord organizations find and con-tinually enhance overarching shared values. In fact,this is the first task of concord organizations. Thefounders of such organizations, through a series ofsmall, transformational encounters, often discoverthese shared values by getting to know individualsfrom other communities. They learn that theyshare generalized bridging beliefs, such as the beliefthat all people are children of God or feel disgustfor violence. These can lead to very concreteobjectives, such as a shared desire for children tobe able to walk to school safely.

The creation of the first integrated school inNorthern Ireland is a good example of finding anoverarching value–educating children together for abetter life together. The founders of Lagan College,as it was ultimately called, were drawn in partfrom a group of Catholic families who sent theirchildren to Protestant schools, because theProtestant schools were closer to home or per-ceived as better for their children. But there weresignificant problems, not the least of which wasthat Catholic children were often “passing” inthese Protestant schools and they were required totake a Protestant-oriented religious curriculum.Catholic parents first identified themselves by, verybravely, allowing Mass cards to peek out of pock-ets or purses or bags so that other Catholic parentscould identify them. One or two Catholics had,unusually, Protestant friends who had worked out-side of Northern Ireland and were conversant withreligiously integrated education and who were will-ing to discuss integrated education in NorthernIreland. Bit by bit they explored and reinforcedtheir belief that educating their children togetherwas immensely valuable. They did so even in theface of significant religious and political conflicts.And they did so at a time when there were tens ofthousands of British troops in Northern Irelandand no direct rule.

22.. DDeessiiggnn PPrriinncciippllee:: BBaallaannccee BBrriiddggiinnggaanndd BBoonnddiinngg VVaalluueess..

Concord organizations have two enduring setsof values, bridging and bonding, and these values

are always in contest within the members of organ-izations. Therefore, successful concord organiza-tions deal with issues that divide their members aswell as issues that bind them. Said another way,concord organizations do not avoid conflicts; theycontextualize them together. They help people tohold several competing views of the same problemsimultaneously and to keep the shared view in theascendancy in their organizational work.

The late John Wallach, the founder of Seeds ofPeace, which runs a summer camp for childrenfrom divided communities including the MiddleEast, Afghanistan, and the Balkans, described thedemands of this balancing act. The three-weekprogram recognizes the stages its campers gothrough. In the first week, the youngsters areeither unwarrantedly idealistic or completely cer-tain their side is right. In the second week, theybegin to see that there might be other views andwhy people might hold them. In the third week,Wallach reports that the campers “realize that theyhave to deal with the hatred and still need toaccept each other anyway.”6 The Seeds of PeaceInternational Camp would fail if it had a jolly “weare all one under the skin” approach. In this way,the camp recognizes that it cannot succeed in itsmission if it does not acknowledge what dividescampers as well as what unites them.

33.. DDeessiiggnn PPrriinncciippllee:: EEssttaabblliisshh RRuulleess ooffEEnnggaaggeemmeenntt..

The most successful concord organizations donot rush to action without attention to rule makingin organizational life. They begin with well-stateddemocratic decision making mechanisms, with spe-cific attention to leadership transition and to basicmechanisms of solving future conflicts.

Genesis, the shared religious space of St. ClareEpiscopal Church and Temple Beth Emeth, hassuccessfully undertaken a capital campaign for andthe building of an extension for educational andcommunity activities. This expansion was madepossible by open and transparent decision-makingrules embodied in a joint council established in theby-laws when the congregations decided to sharespace and by the deliberative and consultativeprocesses the two congregations and the joint

14



council undertook. In contrast, another group ofcongregations sharing buildings has increasinglyfunctioned like a religious condominium withmultiple tenants, in part because the originalfounders thought that their good intentions alonewould be sufficient to deal with any conflicts inthe future.

44.. DDeessiiggnn PPrriinncciippllee:: RReeccooggnniizzee aannddRReewwaarrdd IInnvveessttmmeenntt..

Successful concord organizations foster anorganizational culture of social investment.People involved in concord organizations seethemselves first and foremost as investors, notconsumers, and they recognize and reward invest-ment. They understand the long historical timeframes of their conflicts and are realistic about thekinds of efforts necessary to bring about change.They see the organizations they form as “banks”that hold and reinforce the often-fragile visionsfor a better, shared future. They cultivate a hard-headed hopefulness.

Some of the investments concord organiza-tions make are monetary. The grants given byThe Abraham Fund or the CommunityFoundation for Northern Ireland are concreteexamples of financial investment in interethniccommunity organizations. But most investmentsare more intangible–skills, relationships, newworldviews, and cross-community activities tosolve shared problems. The Conflict Mediationand Transformation Practice mediated a violentconflict between ethnic gangs running competingtaxi services in Cape Town. These taxis are cru-cial for economic well being in poor neighbor-hoods with very limited public transportation andfew cars. Many concord organizations demon-strate their commitment to investment by runningprograms for young people. The high schooltraining programs of Facing History andOurselves and Leadership Development inIntergroup Relations are just two of many exam-ples. The investment approach is also illustratedby the many concord organizations that act asincubators for new initiatives, spinning them offrather than growing themselves. For instance,

Corrymeela spun off TIDES Training(Transformation, Interdependence, Diversity,Equality and Sustainability)–an organization dedi-cated to continuing concord initiatives afterEuropean Union funding stops, and Future Ways,which finds practical and human ways people canwork together in a society emerging from conflict.

55.. NNeecceessssaarryy PPrraaccttiiccee:: PPrreevveennttPPrroosseellyyttiizziinngg..

Successful concord organizations developtechniques where members can hold their views,but do not seek to impose them on others. Strongnorms against proselytizing are important bothorganizationally and personally. Organizationally,strong norms against proselytizing keep the valuesthat bridge viewpoints in the ascendancy, thuspreventing organizations from drowning in thewhirlpool of contested views. An individual’scommitment not to proselytize demonstrates aprofound and concrete recognition of the legiti-macy of the people who hold views fundamentallydifferent, and often in opposition, to one’s own.The self-restraint involved in not proselytizingbecomes a basis for a larger social practice ofrestraint, listening, and efforts at mutual problemsolving.

Most participants in concord organizationssay that not proselytizing is one of the hardestvalues to internalize. Six American abortionactivists–three leaders in favor of legal abortionand three opposed–engaged in a five-year mediat-ed dialogue that began after a murderous attackon abortion clinic personnel in Boston. Whendescribing the procedures of their dialogue theysaid, “We also made a commitment that some ofus still find agonizingly difficult: to shift our focusaway from arguing for our cause. This agreementwas designed to prevent rancorous debates.”7

66.. NNeecceessssaarryy PPrraaccttiiccee:: AAcckknnoowwlleeddggeeaanndd RReecceeiivvee LLeeggiittiimmaaccyy..

Successful concord organizations providemechanisms of legitimization, recognition, andrespect on a personal level. Social techniques for

15

legitimization are well known. They include suchdevices as using the language of the “other” whenreferencing them, refraining from using wordsthat incite those from other communities, payingattention to the balance of viewpoints presented,developing vehicles for the expression of commu-nity viewpoints within the context of concordactivities, and having an organizational culturethat allows people to change their minds.

Legitimization is not easy or unproblematic. Itdoes not mean personal acceptance of the positionor values of the other group. Rather, legitimiza-tion involves having one’s own narrative of theconflict heard and hearing the narratives of oth-ers. The intended purpose is not to argue for thesuperiority of one’s own narrative or to win the“oppression Olympics” but instead to learn thesources of deeply held values and the effects of theconflict on one’s self and others. For example, inAmerican abortion dialogues participants came tocall their positions by the phrases each group usedfor itself–“pro-choice” and “pro-life.” This prac-tice was successful in part because the preferrednames did not include references to the positionsof the other side. In Northern Ireland, Catholicand Protestant released prisoners discussed witheach other the effects that their violent actionsand subsequent internment had on their familiesand communities, recognizing the costs theyshared. On the West Bank, The Parents’ Circle-Families Forum brings Jewish and Palestinianfamilies together to discuss their shared experi-ence of losing a loved one to violence. Schoolsand community programs try to teach legitimiza-tion skills. The South African Human RightsCommission’s Training Centre has fielded anational program that tries to develop intercultur-al competencies in school children, and TheCenter for the Study of Violence andReconciliation, an NGO working inJohannesburg, has made similar efforts for youthnot in school.

77.. NNeecceessssaarryy PPrraaccttiiccee:: AAvvooiidd““GGoottcchhaa..””

“Gotcha” is the practice of highlighting toothers their failures to see a group the way the

group sees itself. “Gotcha” is American slang for,“I got you,” meaning I caught you doing some-thing you should not be doing. An example of“gotcha” might be someone purposefully derailingan otherwise successful conversation to insert thatthe speaker had used, say, “Hispanic” rather than“Latina/o.” (Both are polite–a crucial considera-tion–terms for people of Spanish-speaking back-grounds in the United States. “Hispanic” is theterm used by the U.S. Census. “Latina/o” is morefrequently used by people of this backgroundreferring to themselves.) The purpose of the inter-rupter was not to engage in a discussion onrespectful names, but to show that the speakerwas thoughtless and not to be trusted and that theinterrupter was the guardian of true understand-ing.8

Successful concord organizations avoid“gotcha” because it undermines the inquiring,learning culture of concord work. In practice,avoiding “gotcha” means that people in concordgroups are committed to engaging with those inopposing camps even when they cause some painor frustration. It means being able to see one’sself making the kinds of mistakes others havemade about one’s own group. Such norms createa virtuous circle of both attentiveness to othersand flexibility and generosity in the process oflearning. Avoiding “gotcha” is a way of avoidingpolitical correctness, which tends to emphasizemonitoring behavior for failures.

Diana Dorn-Jones, the President of ProjectChange Albuquerque, whose objective was toreduce racial prejudice and improve race relations,said, “‘Gotcha’ is a bad game because it isdesigned to punish people for what are usuallysmall mistakes of language or experience ratherthan reward them for trying to make big changeson race and color.” She added that, “All of uscan improve our understanding of other groups,and want to be given the benefit of the doubt.”9

88.. NNeecceessssaarryy PPrraaccttiiccee:: LLeeaarrnn ttoo ““NNoottUUnnddeerrssttaanndd”” aanndd ttoo ““NNoott bbee AAcccceepptteedd..””

Successful concord organizations promoteawareness that complete understanding of andacceptance by the “other” is neither likely nor

16



necessary. Understandings of reality are productsof lived experience and are not transferable intheir entirety to those without the experience.Nor is it likely that a totally satisfactory joint def-inition of reality will emerge from cross-communi-ty work. Instead, the multiple narratives of livedexperiences will reside simultaneously and, in thebest circumstances, with respect and acceptance.

The Oakwood Integrated Primary School helda meeting for parents where the Protestant/union-ist and Catholic/nationalist symbols used duringthe violent struggle were placed in the middle ofthe room. These included balaclavas, paramilitarybadges, and posters. Most people had nevertouched or seen up close these potent symbols,even those from their own community. In a medi-ated discussion, parents talked about what thesymbols meant to them and to Northern Ireland.This process increased awareness of their commonexperience of violence, upheaval, and loss. But inthe end, empathy and information do not equatewith the experience of being Catholic in British-ruled Northern Ireland or Protestant in IRA-besieged Northern Ireland.

99.. NNeecceessssaarryy PPrraaccttiiccee:: SSuuppppoorrtt SSiinnggllee-CCoommmmuunniittyy WWoorrkk..

Successful concord organizations help individ-uals and communities develop strong, positive,single-community identities. Concord organiza-tions do this in two ways: by including single-community opportunities as part of their pro-gramming and by strengthening the capacities ofsingle-community organizations to do cross-com-munity work. These activities both advance con-cord organizations and protect their participants.Cross-community work needs talented people,many of whom are drawn to these activities fromoutward-looking, single-community organizations.Equally important is the fact that most peoplewho work in concord organizations are deeplyconnected to, and are nurtured by, single-commu-nity groups. It is jarring and disheartening toreturn to a single-community organization that ishostile to cross-community engagement.

Genesis, the shared governance structure ofthe facility housing Temple Beth Emeth and St.Clare Episcopal Church made a profound com-mitment to the needs of one of its congregations.Over the life of the relationship one congregationgrew while the other contracted. Genesis decidedthat in order to meet the developing needs of onecommunity, a new sanctuary and a school facilitywould be built, requiring considerable indebted-ness for both congregations. Genesis, the con-cord organization, recognized the need to keep itsindividual congregations strong by building a newsanctuary, a decision that allowed it to continueits cross-community work. The commitments oftwo South African organizations to individualcommunities are different but no less vital. UManaging Conflict (UMAC), a conflict mediationorganization working mostly in Cape Town, andIDASA, which works nationwide, are successfulmulti-ethnic organizations that work as neededwith single, often geographically defined, tribal orlinguistic communities. They work to develop theproblem solving skills necessary to respond to dis-agreements both within and outside these single-community groups. Paul Graham, the executivedirector of IDASA, notes that their single commu-nity work is done very much with bridging inmind.

1100.. NNeecceessssaarryy PPrraaccttiiccee:: DDeevveellooppLLeeaaddeerrss..

Successful concord organizations develop lead-ers, in their own organizations and in single-com-munity groups, who can maintain legitimacywhile encouraging engagement. Concord organi-zations often challenge conventional definitions ofleadership in divided societies and demand com-plex thinking about the value of joint activity.They ultimately depend on leaders who haveenough political resources to withstand suspicionsof disloyalty. Leaders with a tenuous hold ontheir own positions of authority or who fail todeliver value to their single-community membersare seldom able to withstand attacks for participa-tion in concord organizations or cross-communitywork. Strong leaders are those who can success-

17

fully engage in concord organizations, who knowhow simultaneously to understand and to satisfysome of the basic needs of their followers, andwho encourage followers’ learning and criticalthinking.

At least one concord organization, NCCJ (theNational Conference for Community and Justice)has made the training of leaders for cross-commu-nity work in the U.S. one of its main missions. Asits president Sanford Cloud, Jr. noted, NCCJ'stask is “transforming communities to be morewhole and just by empowering leaders to engagein institutional change.”10 Across the ocean, the

Belfast Interface Project enhances leadership in adifferent way. It supports the development ofeffective mobile phone networks across the city.Through these networks local community activistscan respond quickly to reports of tension and vio-lence at interfaces. Relevant information can bepassed within, and where possible, between com-munities as well as to appropriate agencies, reduc-ing rumors and miscommunication. The mobilephone networks help local activists reduce thenumber of incidents at interfaces and lessen thelikelihood that those that do occur will escalate.

…the success oof cooncoorrd oorrganizatioons

depends oon face-ttoo-fface interractioons…

AAs a rresult,, cooncoorrd oorrganizatioons grroow

thrroough rreplicatioon oorr by establishing loocal

chapterrs oof a foounding oorrganizatioon,, rratherr

than by getting biggerr themmselves.

18



These ten organizational lessons constitutethe “best practices” for establishing con-cord organizations, fostering cross-commu-

nity work, and building bridging social capital.The first and most important use of the lessons isas a resource to assist existing concord organiza-tions. Worldwide, leaders of concord organiza-tions want to benefit from the organizationalmodels of groups doing similar work. The seconduse of the organizational lessons is to promote thecreation of new concord organizations by increas-ing the likelihood of organizational success. Asthe principles and practices show, the success ofconcord organizations depends on face-to-faceinteractions.

Thus, concord organizations tend to be smallin scale–from a handful of people to several hun-dred. Successful cross-community work thatbuilds bridging social capital requires time spentin well-designed small group interactions thatbuild trust and understanding. This is trueregardless of the size of the overall activity ororganization. As a result, concord organizationsgrow through replication, or by establishing localchapters of a founding organization, rather thangetting bigger themselves.

Thoughtful people and organizations thatwant to work across historic divides can use theselessons to make a more effective difference. Theycan enhance existing concord organizations andstart new ones. The need could not be greater, northe benefits more important. Cities with strongcross-community institutions have less ethnic vio-lence. Moreover, friendships across groups arenot themselves enough to reduce violence.Institutions that foster and reproduce good cross-community relations are necessary.11

19

10DDeessiiggnn PPrriinncciipplleess aanndd

NNeecceessssaarryy PPrraaccttiicceess::

11.. PPrroommoottee OOvveerraarrcchhiinngg VVaalluueess

22.. BBaallaannccee BBrriiddggiinngg aannddBBoonnddiinngg VVaalluueess

33.. EEssttaabblliisshh RRuulleess ooff EEnnggaaggeemmeenntt

44.. RReeccooggnniizzee aanndd RReewwaarrddIInnvveessttmmeenntt

55.. PPrreevveenntt PPrroosseellyyttiizziinngg

66.. AAcckknnoowwlleeddggee aanndd RReecceeiivvee LLeeggiittiimmaaccyy

77.. AAvvooiidd ““GGoottcchhaa””

88.. LLeeaarrnn ttoo ““NNoott UUnnddeerrssttaanndd””aanndd ttoo ““NNoott bbee AAcccceepptteedd””

99.. SSuuppppoorrtt SSiinnggllee-CCoommmmuunniittyyWWoorrkk

1100.. DDeevveelloopp LLeeaaddeerrss

II. USING THE 10 ORGANIZATIONAL LESSONSLLEESSSSOONNSS::

20

...frriendships acrrooss grrooups arre noot

themmselves enoough too rreduce

vioolence. Institutioons that foosterr and

rreprrooduce gooood crrooss-ccoommmmunity

rrelatioons arre necessarry.

Genesis of Ann Arbor (Temple Beth Emeth & St. Clare Episcopal Church), Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

Phot

o by

Har

ry S

argo

us


21

ActionThe Concord Handbook

Concord organizations need more than goodorganizational design and practices to suc-ceed. The forces that pull apart people of

different religions, races, ethnicities, and values areextremely strong. The leaders of concord organiza-tions speak frequently of the social supports thatlet their work bloom. They have identified how sixgroups of leaders interested in bridging social dif-ferences can support concord organizations.

LLeeaaddeerrss ooff ccoonnccoorrdd oorrggaanniizzaattiioonnss

Leaders of concord organizations, themselves,know that they support their own work and thoseof their colleagues when they are intentionallyreflective about organizational practices. Concordorganizations never have the luxury of going onauto-pilot once they are formed.

AAddvvooccaatteess ffrroomm ssiinnggllee-iiddeennttiittyyccoommmmuunniittiieess

Advocates from single-identity communitiessupport concord organizations when they continu-ally consider when they will be open to cross-com-munity work and how they develop the skills andrewards for such work among their participants.

PPuubblliicc ooffffiicciiaallss

Public officials support concord organizationswhen they include long-term cross-communitywork in the definition of policy and program suc-cess and have patience and put resources intogroups that undertake this work.

FFoouunnddaattiioonn eexxeeccuuttiivveess

Foundation executives support concord organi-zations when they invest for the long term and donot withdraw funds as soon as a conflict is nolonger hot. Long standing religious, ethnic, andracial conflicts are most amenable to movingtoward durable democratic accommodations whenissues are cool. The resources for responding toepisodes of conflicts are developed in periods ofcalm.

BBuussiinneessss lleeaaddeerrss

Business leaders support concord organizationswhen they recognize that success in cross-commu-nity work very directly mirrors the successfulinvestments they make in long term relations withemployees, customers, financial institutions, andeven competitors. Diverse communities with manywell-functioning concord organizations have a bet-ter business climate.

SScchhoollaarrss

Scholars support concord work when theyresearch bridging social capital in the activities of groups struggling to produce it. Scholars also sup-port concord work when they consider social capi-tal in all of its forms: psychological overviews, orframes; individual skills; informal networks andtheir interchanges; institutions that make meaning-ful connections among people possible over time;and formal activities and programs.

I. WHAT LEADERS CAN DO

Concord organizations build bridging socialcapital across communities. Thoughtful individualscan create successful concord organizations–organ-izations that can sensibly and effectively respond tothe urgent conflicts over religion, ethnicity, race,and values. The ten organizational lessons present-ed in this Handbook provide one way to begin.The Concord Project runs workshops that providesettings for those who want to hone their concordleadership skills or start new concord organiza-tions. Information on the program is available at:

TThhee CCoonnccoorrdd PPrroojjeeccttUUCCLLAA SScchhooooll ooff PPuubblliicc PPoolliiccyy aanndd SSoocciiaall RReesseeaarrcchh33228844 PPuubblliicc PPoolliiccyy BBuuiillddiinngg,, BBooxx 995511665566333377 CChhaarrlleess EE.. YYoouunngg DDrriivvee,, EEaassttLLooss AAnnggeelleess,, CCAA 9900009955UUSSAA

Or contact us at:

TTeell:: 11-331100-779944-55552233FFaaxx:: 11-331100-220066-55777733EEmmaaiill:: ccoonnccoorrddiinnffoo@@ssppppssrr..uuccllaa..eedduuhhttttpp::////ccoonnccoorrdd..ssppppssrr..uuccllaa..eedduu

Another resource is to learn first hand fromaccomplished concord organizations. The ConcordProject is based on the experiences of over 100exemplary concord organizations and projects.The organizations mentioned in this Handbookhave experiences that are especially useful indemonstrating concord activities, design principles,and practices. Below is contact information neces-sary to reach them directly.

The Abraham Fund

The Abraham Fund is a not-for-profit organization dedicatedto promoting coexistence between the Jewish and Arab citi-zens of Israel. Through advocacy and awareness campaigns,and by sponsoring coexistence projects, The Abraham FundInitiatives foster increased dialogue, tolerance and under-standing between Arabs and Jews. A pioneer in this work,The Abraham Fund Initiatives serve as a central resource forcoexistence professionals worldwide.

The Abraham Fund477 Madison AvenueNew York, NY 10022USATel: 1-8800-3301-FFUND; or: 1-2212-3303-99421http://www.abrahamfund.org

Belfast Interface Project (BIP)

Belfast Interface Project is a membership organization whichaims to engage in the development of creative approachestowards the regeneration of Belfast's interface areas, throughidentifying good practices with which to inform and createeffective regeneration strategies for interface areas; enhancingand developing the knowledge-base regarding Belfast’s inter-face areas; influencing and effecting change that is of practi-cal benefit to interface communities; and developing, sup-

porting, consulting with and lobbying on behalf of its mem-bership.

Belfast Interface Project6 Murray StreetBelfast BT16DNNorthern IrelandTel: 44-22890-2242828Email: [email protected]

Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation(CSVR)

The Center for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation(CSVR) is a multi-disciplinary South African non-governmen-tal organization. It is concerned with policy formation,implementation, service delivery, research, education andtraining, as well as providing consulting services. CSVR isalso a direct service provider, operating its own trauma clinicto provide counseling services for both victims and perpetra-tors of violence.

Street address:CSVR4th Floor, Braamfontein Centre23 Jorissen StreetBraamfontein, JohannesburgSouth Africa

22

II. ACTIVITIES AND EXEMPLARSAACCTTIIOONN::


Mailing address: P.O. Box 30778 Braamfontein, Johannesburg 2017South Africa Tel: 27-111-44035650Fax: 27-111-33396785Email: [email protected]://www.csvr.org.za

Cornerstone Community

The Cornerstone Community is a small prayer and witnesscommunity of Catholics and Protestants. Established in1982, the group evolved out of a cross-community Christianprayer group. The community has 15 members, three ofwhom live in the Community House on the “PeaceLine”between the West Belfast areas of the Falls and the Shankill.The rest of the members live and work locally. The membersof the group are active in "healing and helping" activities.These include: crisis visiting in pairs, Catholic and Protestanttogether, those who have locally suffered through violence;bridge building by establishing links between local clergy andchurch workers from the Falls/Shankill area allowing them tomeet regularly; and, providing peace education by sharingtheir vision with church, school, and community groups.Cornerstone members move beyond cooperation and toler-ance to physically embody cross-community work and repre-sent a healing symbol. The group has also provided a neutralmeeting place and acted as a safe go-between for opposingindividuals who wish to reach out to the other side but fearretribution.

Cornerstone Community443-4445 Springfield RoadBelfast BT12 7DLNorthern IrelandTel: 44-22890-3321649Fax: 44-22890-3327323Email: [email protected]

Corrymeela

Corrymeela is people of all ages and Christian traditions,who, individually and together, are committed to the healingof social, religious and political divisions that exist inNorthern Ireland and throughout the world. Corrymeela’saims and objectives are: to be a sign and symbol thatProtestants and Catholics can share together in a commonwitness and ministry of reconciliation; to provide opportuni-ties for meeting, dialogue and learning in communities to dis-pel ignorance, prejudice and fear and to promote mutualrespect, trust and co-operation; to support victims of violenceand injustice; to enable the healing of personal and socialwounds and to promote new initiatives for social and politi-cal change; to address contemporary issues of faith and ethicsand develop new expressions of Christian community, lifeand worship. Some of Corrymeela’s projects and activitiesinclude the following: residential twinned

(Catholic/Protestant) School; Youth, Adult and Church proj-ects with follow-up support work; open residences for all tra-ditions on social, cultural, political and religious themes; sup-port for new projects in peace and reconciliation work; train-ing and learning projects in the fields of conflict, mediation,Christian education etc.; and sanctuary and support for vic-tims and those under stress.

Main Office:8 Upper CrescentBelfast BT7 1NTNorthern IrelandTel: 44-22890-5508080Fax: 44-22890-5508070Email: [email protected]://www.corrymeela.org

Retreat Facility:Ballycastle5 Drumaroan RoadBallycastle BT54 6QUNorthern IrelandTel: 44-22820-7762626Fax: 44-22820-7762770

Facing History and Ourselves

Facing History and Ourselves is a national educational andprofessional development organization with eight regionaloffices in the United States and Europe. Its mission is toengage students of diverse backgrounds in an examination ofracism, prejudice and anti-Semitism in order to promote thedevelopment of a more humane and informed citizenry. Bystudying the historical development and lessons of theHolocaust and other examples of collective violence, studentsmake the essential connection between history and the moralchoices they confront in their own lives.

Facing History and Ourselves National Office:16 Hurd RoadBrookline, MA 02445USATel: 1-6617-2232-11595http://www.facinghistory.org

Future Ways

The Future Ways Programme (located at the University ofUltster) finds practical and human ways that people can live,learn, and work together with their differences in a societyemerging from conflict.

Future WaysT011, CavehillUniversity of UlsterColeraine BT52 1SA


23

Northern IrelandTel: 44-22870-3324550Fax: 44-22870-3324674Email: [email protected]; or [email protected]

Genesis

Genesis of Ann Arbor(Saint Clare Episcopal Church & Temple Beth Emeth)2309 Packard RoadAnn Arbor, MI 48104USATel: 1-7734-6665-88883

St. Clare Episcopal ChurchTel: 1-7734-6662-22449Email: [email protected]

Temple Beth EmethTel: 1-7734-6665-44774email: [email protected]://www.templebethemeth.org

Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA)

IDASA is an independent non-profit public interest organiza-tion that promotes democracy in South Africa. IDASAbelieves the way to build democracy is to build institutionsfor democracy by developing the capacities of groups and theleadership skills of individuals so that they can represent theirown perspectives and interact with the government. IDASAruns training workshops and skill building programs andencourages participation to keep citizens linked to the gov-ernment and governance processes whether at parliamentary,city, council, or provincial level. IDASA’s mission is to pro-mote sustainable democracy by building democratic institu-tions, educating citizens, and advocating social justice.

IDASA Street Address:Kutlwanong Democracy Centre357 Visagie Street(Corner of Visagie and Prinsloo Streets)Pretoria 0001South Africa

Mailing Address:P.O. BoxArcadia 0007South AfricaTel: 27-112-33920500Fax: 27-112-33202414/5email: [email protected]://www.idasa.org.za

IDASACape Town Democracy Centre6 Spin StreetP.O. Box 1739

Cape Town 8000South AfricaTel: 27-221-44675600Fax: 27-221-44612589

Leadership Development in Interethnic Relations(LDIR)

The Leadership Development in Interethnic Relations (LDIR)program is a leadership development training program thatprovides background, skills and working opportunities thatenable people to proactively address race relations issues intheir communities. LDIR also provides training for highschools that wish to establish an on-going LDIR class foryouth.

Leadership Development in Interethnic Relations1145 Wilshire Boulevard, Second FloorLos Angeles, CA 90017USATel: 1-2213-2241-00216Fax: 1-2213-9977-77595http://www.apalc.orghttp://www.carecen-lla.org

Malone Integrated College, Northern Ireland

Malone Integrated College opened in 1997 as an independentintegrated school for eleven-year-old to over sixteen-year-oldstudents from both the Protestant and Catholic communities.The school develops and promotes a culture of tolerance.

Malone Integrated College45 Finaghy Road NorthBelfast BT10 0JBNorthern IrelandTel: 44-22890-3381988Fax: 44-22890-6668347Email: [email protected]://www.malonecollege.org.uk

The Mediation and Transformation Practice

The Mediation and Transformation Practice is a conflictmanagement organization located in Cape Town, SouthAfrica. The organization provides training, consultation andmediation services throughout the world. The Mediation andTransformation Practice has trained many local communitiesin dispute resolution systems, teambuilding, and managingdiversity. Some of its recent projects and workshops wereconducted in South Africa, the United States, Belgium,Jamaica, Indonesia, and Sierra Leone.

The Mediation and Transformation PracticeStreet Address:3 Vlei St.Mabille Park

24


Kuils River7580 Cape Town South AfricaTel: 27-221-99034194Fax: 27-221-99061647Email: [email protected]

Mailing address:Sanlamhof 7532P.O. Box 1516CapetownSouth Africa

National Centre For Human Rights Education andTraining (NACHRET) Division of the South AfricanHuman Rights Commission (SAHRC)

The National Centre for Human Rights Education andTraining (NACHRET) is the training and education divisionof the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).The vision of the Centre is to develop a sustainable culture ofhuman rights and democracy, translating human rights stan-dards into tangible and deliverable education and trainingoutcomes. The Centre offers professional education andtraining on human rights to a range of sectors and benefici-ary groups. The Centre manages multiple projects and func-tions for the SAHRC but its main area of activity is thedevelopment and delivery of courses, workshops, seminarsand facilitated dialogues (including in-house programs) onhuman rights. The client population has ranged from trainingpolice departments to working with the Department ofEducation and individual schools on the development andimplementation of curriculum. Diversity training subjectareas include culture, race, ethnicity, religion, and sexual ori-entation.

NACHRET - SAHRCStreet address:Entrance 1, Wilds View, Isle of HoughtonBoundary Road, Parktown, JohannesburgSouth Africa

Mailing Address:Private Bag 2700, Houghton, Johannesburg, 2041South AfricaTel: 27-111-44848300Fax: 27-111-66436472http://www.sahrc.org.za/nachret.htmEmail: [email protected]

National Conference for Community and Justice(NCCJ)

The National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ)is a human relations organization dedicated to fighting bias,bigotry and racism in America. NCCJ promotes under-standing and respect among all races, religions and culturesthrough advocacy, conflict resolution and education.Founded in 1927 as the National Conference of Christians

and Jews, NCCJ's mission has grown and evolved to embraceyouth, interfaith and community issues of race, religion, cul-ture and gender in the workplace.

National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ)475 Park Avenue South, 19th FloorNew York, NY 10016-66901USATel: 1-2212-5545-11300Fax: 1-2212-5545-88053http://www.nccj.org

Network for Life and Choice

Network for Life and Choice promoted non-adversarial dia-logue on abortion. The Network was founded in 1992 bySearch for Common Ground (SFCG) in response to a demon-stration in Buffalo, NY. In 1999, the Network for Life andChoice became a co-sponsored effort of the Search forCommon Ground and the National Association forCommunity Mediation (NAFCM). These dialogues sought toprevent further intergroup polarization and abortion-relatedviolence and to search for areas where joint action is possi-ble. While individual abortion dialogues continue, theNetwork is no longer active. For information on the net-work, contact:

Mary E. JacksteitProfessional Services in Mediation, Facilitation, andArbitration7128 Willow AveTakoma Park, MD 20912USATel: 1-3301-2270-55561Email: [email protected]

Also contact:

Search for Common Ground1601 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 200Washington, D.C. 20009USATel: 1-2202-2265-44300Fax: 1-2202-2232-66718Email: [email protected]://www.sfcg.org

National Association for Community Mediation1527 New Hampshire Ave., N.W.Washington, D.C. 20036-11206USATel: 1-2202-6667-99700http://www.nafcm.org

Neve Shalom/Wahat al-SSalam

Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam is a cooperative village of Jewsand Arabs demonstrating the possibility of coexistence. NeveShalom/Wahat al-Salam is comprised of Jews and PalestinianArabs of Israeli citizenship engaged in educational work for


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peace, equality, and understanding between the two peoples.In addition to the village and a primary school Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam has developed a school for peace, a spiritualcenter, swimming pool and a hotel.

Neve Shalom/Wahat al-SSalamPublic Relations Information OfficeDoar Na Shimshon 99761IsraelTel: 972-22-99915621Fax: 972-22-9991-11072http://www.nswas.com

Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education(NICIE)

Integrated education in Northern Ireland brings together, inone school, children, parents, teachers, and governors fromboth Catholic and Protestant traditions. Integrated educationprovides students with an education that gives them theopportunity to understand, respect and celebrate all culturaland religious traditions. Established in 1987, NICIE is a vol-untary body that acts as a central forum and umbrellaorganization for integrated schools and groups or individualsthat are interested in integrated education. It works withparent groups to start new integrated schools, supports exist-ing integrated schools and helps schools seeking to becomeintegrated through the transformation process.

Main OfficeNICIE44 University StreetBelfast BT7 1HBNorthern IrelandTel: 44-228-990236200Fax: 44-228-990236237http://www.nicie.org.uk

Communications Office:20 Mount CharlesBelfast BT7 1NZNorthern IrelandTel: 44-22890-7725770Fax: 44-22890-7725777

Oakwood Integrated Primary School, Northern Ireland

Oakwood Integrated Primary School is an independentschool. It draws students from both the Catholic andProtestant communities, and develops and promotes a cul-ture of tolerance.

Oakwood Integrated Primary SchoolThe Cutts, DerriaghyBelfast, BT17 9HNNorthern Ireland Telephone: 44-22890-3309920 Email: [email protected]

Parents’ Circle–Families ForumBereaved Families Supporting Reconciliation,Tolerance, and Peace

Parents’ Circle, a registered nonprofit in Israel, represents agroup of bereaved parents who have lost loved ones as aresult of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Since the beginningthe Parents’ Circle has sought to work closely withPalestinian bereaved parents. Parents’ Circle worked incooperation with families from Gaza and the West Bank tofound the Israeli Palestinian Bereaved Families Forum forPeace (Families Forum). Two hundred bereaved Palestinianfamilies have organized since 1995 to cooperate with theBereaved Israeli Families Forum. The main activity of theFamilies Forum is to publicly campaign for a peace agree-ment that will resolve the conflict and open a new chapter inIsraeli-Palestinian relations.

Parents’ Circle - Families ForumEfa’l Seminar1 Hayasmin St.Ramat 52960IsraelTel: 972-33-55355089Fax: 972-33-66358367

4 Hameyasdim St.Jerusalem Israel Tel: 972-22-66437248Fax: 972-22-66447712

Email: [email protected]://www.theparentscircle.com

Project Change, Albuquerque

Project Change is an initiative of the Tides Center aimed athelping communities reduce racial prejudice and improverace relations with funding from the Levi StraussFoundation. Project Changes sites are: Albuquerque, NM; ElPaso, TX; Valdosta, GA; and Knoxville, TN. The overallmission of Project Change is to institutionalize changethrough discussion, education and training. During its plan-ning stage, Project Change Albuquerque identified racial bar-riers to credit as a principal problem in New Mexico.

Project Change Fair Lending Center (PCFLC) is a collabora-tion between Project Change Albuquerque and the Universityof New Mexico’s Institute of Public Law to promote fairbanking and accessible credit for people of color. PCFLC isdedicated to strengthening the capacity of low-income andminority communities to participate effectively in the devel-opment of more democratic and equitable economic policies.The Center provides education, training, resources, and tech-nical assistance to support communities of color strugglingfor economic justice.


Albuquerque Project ChangeP.O. Box 23581Albuquerque, NM 87125USATel: 1-5505-7764-88867Fax: 1-5505-7764-99121http://www.projectchange.org and http://www.anti-rracism.net

Seeds of Peace

“Empowering children of war to break the cycle of violence.”Seeds of Peace is a non-profit, non-political organization thathelps teenagers from regions of conflict learn the skills ofmaking peace. Set at its own camp in the woods of Maine, asafe and supportive environment is created where the young-sters can air their views and learn listening, communicationand other conflict resolution techniques that allow them todevelop empathy for one another. Seeds of Peace equips thenext generation with the leadership capabilities required toend the cycles of violence. Seeds of Peace also runs theDelegation Leadership Program (DLP) for the adults whoaccompany the youth delegations. The DLP provides theseeducators from areas of conflict with personal and academicexperiences of coexistence, an essential aspect of education.These adults, selected by their respective governments toaccompany the teens, represent a unique and effective net-work that can encourage or discourage goals and valuestaught at Seeds of Peace. As adult participants and witnessesto the camp experience, the Delegation Leaders are wellplaced within their respective communities to effectivelyendorse and promote the coexistence model taught at Seedsof Peace. The DLP is actively building an influential commu-nity of educators across regions of conflict that have a strongcommitment to coexistence.

New York Office:370 Lexington Ave., Suite 401New York, NY 10017USATel: 1-2212-5573-88040Fax: 1-2212-5573-88047Email: [email protected]

Jerusalem Office:Seeds of Peace Center for CoexistenceP.O. Box 25045Jerusalem 97300IsraelTel: 972-22-5582-00222Fax: 972-22-5582-22221Email: [email protected]

Washington, D.C. Office:1321 Wisconsin Ave., NWWashington, D.C. 20007USATel: 1-2202-3337-55530Fax: 1-2202-3337-55646Email: [email protected]

Seeds of Peace International Camp:(U.S. Summer months only)183 Powhatan RoadOtisfield, ME 04270USATel: 1-2207-6627-77202Fax: 1-2207-6627-33121Email: [email protected]

South African Human Rights Commission

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) isthe national institution established to entrench constitutionaldemocracy. SAHRC’s mission is to promote respect for,observance of and protection of human rights for everyonewithout fear or favor. Its objectives are 1) to develop anawareness of human rights among the people of South Africa;2) to make recommendations to organs of state in order toenhance the implementation of human rights; 3) to undertakestudies and report to Parliament on matters relating tohuman rights; and 4) to investigate complaints of violationsof human rights and to seek appropriate redress.

SAHRC - Head OfficePrivate Bag 2700Houghton 2041JohannesburgSouth AfricaTel: 27-111-44848300Fax: 27-111-44841360http://www.sahrc.org.za

TIDES Training (Transformation, Interdependence,Diversity, Equality, and Sustainability)

TIDES Training is an ethically based voluntary nonprofitcompany. It is committed to helping build community infra-structure necessary to sustain a lasting and equitable peace insituations which have experienced violent conflict.

Development Office:34 Gortamaddy DriveBallycastle BY54 6RZNorthern IrelandTel: 44-22890-2203519Email: [email protected]

Training Office:6 Riverside Park WestBelfast BT11 9DENorthern IrelandEmail: [email protected]

Three Valleys Project

The Three Valleys Project was a two-year effort (1997-1998)funded by the Rockefeller Foundation to bring people ofvarying cultures together to work toward creating communitybased projects. The project operated in Oregon in the Mid-


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Williamette Valley, the Hood River Valley and the TualatinValley. Using community meetings and dialogues facilitatedby simultaneous translation the diverse populations of eachriver valley met to define goals and to design and select aproject that would meet specific group-defined needs. TheThree Valleys Project is now completed.

Commonway InstituteP.O. Box 125141Portland, OR 97212USATel: 1-5503-22811813Fax: 1-5503-22491969Email: [email protected]

U Managing Conflict (UMAC)Urban Monitoring and Awareness Committee

UMAC is an NGO based in the Western and Eastern Cape,South Africa, that specializes in conflict resolution andprocess facilitation. It was founded in 1985 during the heightof the state of emergency and severe unrest. Restrictionswere placed on media reporting of these events. UMAC wasestablished as a vehicle to monitor the events and pass theinformation through to sympathetic parliamentarians whocould ask pertinent questions in a parliament which was notsubjected to media restrictions. Hence the earlier nameUnrest Monitoring and Action Committee. During this timeUMAC built up a wealth of knowledge and grassroots net-works which is a basis for current practice.

U Managing Conflict (UMAC)88 Station Road ObservatoryCape TownSouth AfricaTel: 27-221-44483717Fax: 27-221-44485476Email: [email protected]

Youth 21 Project

Youth 21 Project is a six country youth leadership projectsupported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, South Africa.The purpose of Kellogg Foundation programming in south-ern Africa is to assist in the social and economic transforma-tion of the region, and to nurture the area’s emerging democ-racies. W.K. Kellogg Foundation programming strives tostrengthen the capacity of Africans, their families, organiza-tions, and institutions as they work to develop and sustainhealthy communities.

W. K. Kellogg Foundation353 Festival StreetSanlam Building, 3rd floorHatfieldPretoriaSouth AfricaTel: 27-112-44310900Fax: 27-112-33423617Email: [email protected]

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1. For information on cross-community work see the BelfastCommunity Relations Council (2003) “Good Practices inCommunity Relations Work” at http://www.community-rela-tions.org.uk/resources/build/build2/htm.

2. For information on single community work–also calledsingle identity work–see the Belfast Community RelationsCouncil (2003), “Training Support: Single Identity Work”http://www.community-relations.org.uk/progs/train/siw.htm.

3. For information on social capital see Ross Gittell andAvis Vidal, Community Organizing: Building Social Capitalas a Development Strategy (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage,1998); Linda Kaboolian and Barbara J. Nelson, “A MoreCivil Society: NGOs at work for Peace in NorthernIreland,” American Prospect 13 (2002): 14-15; Robert D.Putnam, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival ofAmerican Community (New York: Simon and Schuster,2000); Xavier de Souza Briggs, “Doing Democracy Up Close:Culture, Power and Communication in CommunityBuilding,” Journal of Planning Education and Research 18(1998); 1-13.

4. Mancur Olson, The Logic of Collective Action: PublicGoods and the Theory of Groups (Cambridge: HarvardUniversity Press, 1965).

5. For information on organizational design principles seeElinor Ostrom, Governing the Commons: The Evolution ofInstitutions for Collective Action (Cambridge and New York:Cambridge University Press, 1990) and Elinor Ostrom,Crafting Institutions for Self-Governing Irrigation Systems(San Francisco: Institute for Contemporary Studies, 1992).

6. Ruth Andrew Ellenson, “My Friend, My Enemy,” TheLos Angeles Times, May 23, 2002.

7. Anne Fowler, Nicki Nichols Gamble, Frances X. Hogan,Melissa Kogut, Madeline McComish, and Barbara Thorp,“Talking with the Enemy,” The Boston Globe, January 28,2001.

8. Barbara J. Nelson, “Diversity and Public ProblemSolving: Ideas and Practice in Policy Education.” Journal ofPolicy Analysis and Management, 18 (1999): 134-155.

9. Interview with Diana Dorn-Jones, President, ProjectChange Albuquerque, October 29, 2001.

10. Interveiw with Sanford Cloud, Jr., President, NationalCouncil for Community and Justice, November 13, 2002.

11. Ashutosh Varshney, Ethnic Conflict and Civic Life:Hindus and Muslims in India (New Haven: Yale UniversityPress, 2002).

CCiittaattiioonnss


29

The authors (left to right): Kathryn A. Carver,Barbara J. Nelson, and Linda Kaboolian.

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