Includes bibliographical references.

Preface / Patrick G. Coy -- Introduction / Rachel Fleishman, Rosemary O'Leary and Catherine Gerard -- Renegotiation of social relations through public apologies to Canadian aboriginal peoples / Neil Funk-Unrau -- Teaching through talk? The impact of intergroup dialogue on conceptualizations of racism / Heather Pincock -- Bridging the macro with the micro in conflict analysis: structural simplification as a heuristic device / Fethi Keles -- The democratization of peacebuilding: democratic exposure and externally democratic ideology of peacebuilding NGOS in Northern Ireland and Bosnia / Bruce Hemmer -- Blessing war and blessing peace: religious discourses in the US during major conflict periods, 1990-2005 / Patrick G. Coy, Gregory M. Maney and Lynne M. Woehrle -- Reconsidering leadership theory and practice for collaborative governance: examining the U.S. Coast Guard / Heather Getha-Taylor -- Reversing the destructive discourses of dehumanization: a model for reframing narratives in protracted social conflict through identity affirmation / Thomas E. Boudreau and Brian D. Polkinghorn -- Catalysts of change: applying new forms of practice to the context of Nigeria's democratic development / Marie Pace and Darren Kew -- Constructing a baseline understanding of developmental trends in graduate conflict resolution programs in the United States / Brian D. Polkinghorn, Haleigh La Chance and Robert La Chance -- Reflection and commentary: conflict resolution context and implications / Louis Kriesberg -- Research and practice in peace and conflict studies: directions for the next decade / Robert A. Rubinstein.

The research papers in this volume were initially presented at a conference, entitled 'Cutting Edge Theories and Recent Developments in Conflict Resolution', which celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Program on the Analysis and Resolution of Conflict (PARC). Presenters were encouraged to submit their papers for consideration, and following a rigorous peer review and revision process, nine articles were accepted. The volume explores some of the major themes of conflict analysis, including how powerful dominant discourses can both soothe and exacerbate conflict, the role of civic organizations in promoting peace and incubating democratic principles, the ways in which different forms of dialogue are used to heal historically dysfunctional inter-group relations, and the importance of a deeply institutional, structural understanding of ethnocentrism and racism.The authors conducted their research in several different countries - the U.S., Canada, Bosnia, and Northern Ireland - and used a wide range of analytical techniques including in-depth interviews, surveys, and document analysis. What holds them together is the rigorous tie they make between theory and empirical data. Some authors have built conflict theory inductively, based on their own research and/or secondary sources (e.g. Keles, Coy, et al, and Funk-Unrau), while others have tested existing models with empirical data (e.g. Hemmer, Getha-Taylor, and Pincock). These articles collectively make a solid contribution to theoretical development in the conflict analysis field.

Description based on print version record.