Volume 2, Number 3, May 2002

Berghof Handbook for
Conflict Transformation

The Berghof Research Center for Constructive Conflict Management (Berlin, Germany) has produced a new online handbook in response to the challenges of violent conflict and to recent developments in the field of conflict transformation. One of the main challenges in the field is the weak relationship between research, theory and practice. According to the Berghof Center,

We share with many colleagues the belief that the time is ripe for a systematic presentation of the current state-of-the-art of practical, empirical and theoretical knowledge. In addition, this presentation must meet the challenge to identify lessons learned, best practices and cutting-edge thinking...It is therefore in our interest to contribute particularly to strengthening the link between practice, systematic reflection, research and theory.

The Berghof Handbook is useful for both practitioners and scholars, as it aims to provides an

overview of the state-of-the-art of conflict transformation, documenting and assessing the various strengths and weaknesses of these approaches. A further objective is to encourage the development of more coherent and theoretically sound concepts to integrate the complexities of the field, enabling current conflict management techniques to go beyond this model and aim for the genuine tranformation of conflicts.

The Berghof Handbook is organized into six sections according to concept, social level and dimension of conflict transformation. The section most relevent to those involved with conflict management in higher education is Section 3 - Enhancing Capacity on the Interpersonal Level. This section contains the following five articles:

• Facilitation Skills for Interpersonal Transformation by Ron Kraybill
• Team and Organizational Development as a Means for Conflict Prevention and Resolution by Friedrich Glasl and Rudi Ballreich
• Concepts and Strategies of Third-Party Intervention by Ron Fisher
• Training for Conflict Tranformation by Norbert Ropers
• Tranforming Cultural Conflict in an Age of Complexity by Michelle Le Baron

The complete Berghof Handbook can be accessed for free at http://www.berghof-center.org/handbook/cf.htm. Articles can be downloaded in PDF format or read in HTML format.

Page last updated 11/27/2005

A project of Campus Conflict Resolution Resources.
Supported by a FIPSE grant from the US Department of Education
and seed money from the Hewlett Foundation-funded CRInfo project.

Correspondence to CMHE Report
(Attn: Bill Warters)
Campus Conflict Resolution Resources Project
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Wayne State University
Detroit, MI 48201.

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