Conflict Resolution Across the Lifespan: The Work of the ICCCR

Abstract

Violence and alienation are common occurrences in the lives of many young people today. This article presents an overview of the work of the International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution (ICCCR) at Teachers College, Columbia University, which is aimed at helping individuals, schools, communities, businesses, and governments better understand the nature of conflict and develop the skills and settings that enable them to resolve conflict fairly and constructively. The article begins by outlining the basic elements of the theoretical approach, and then presents three projects initiated by the ICCCR during the past decade, spanning from work with preschoolers to work with delegates to the United Nations. A set of practical guidelines for implementing conflict resolution interventions in schools and communities is detailed.