Trainers Conflict Resolution Bookshelf

Note: Each issue of our Conflict Management in Higher Education Report includes some reviews of books and resources. See our table of contents to past resource reviews for quick access.

On this page we provide somewhat random selection of books on topics we think might interest trainers working in our field.

Recently Released - Mediation-related

• Social and Political Bonds: A Mosaic of Contrast and Convergence
• Dealing With Differences: Dramas of Mediating Public Disputes
• Alternative Dispute Resolution: an Essential com,petency for Lawyers
• Point of View, Perspective, and Focalization: Modeling Mediation in Narrative
• Alternative Dispute Resolution: A Conflict Diagnosis Approach
• Perceptions in Litigation and Mediation: Lawyers, Defendants, Plaintiffs, and Gendered Parties
• Practicing Narrative Mediation: Loosening the Grip of Conflict
• Managing a Mediation Process

From Our Bookshelf

Title: Relationship Between Social Skill and Conflict Resolution Tactics

By: Covey, Mark K.
Date: 1983
Although the importance of social skill to interactions with others has long been recognized for clinical individuals, such skills are also of benefit to non-clinical populations. To investigate the potential relationships between social skill and interpersonal conflict resolution tactics, 287 college students (140 males and 147 females) completed a measure of general social skill, the Social Performance Survey Schedule (SPSS), and a measure of tactics used during conflict situations, the Conflict-Tactics Scale (CTS). The SPSS is a 5- point rating scale of 100 items, resulting in a full-measure score of total social skill. The CTS is also a 5-point scale which has been factor-analyzed to produce subscale scores in Reasoning, Verbal Aggression, and Physical Violence. An analysis of the results revealed a high correlation between social skill and the use of verbal reasoning in the resolution of conflicts, thus implying social skill involves the use of non-aversive behaviors. Social skill was correlated negatively with verbal aggression and physical violence. Social skill was also found to influence the behavior of others, i.e., high social skills elicited reasoning, and reduced verbal aggression and violence in others. Socially skilled males used less verbal aggression and physical violence than unskilled males. Additional research should address causal relationships between social skill and specific behaviors in interactional contexts. (BL)
Publisher:

Title: Team Building Patterns of Academic Groups

By: Kormanski, Chuck
Date: 1990
Used group development stage theory to investigate team development patterns in an academic setting. Twenty-nine teams of undergraduate college students enrolled in a study skills improvement course met weekly for five weeks and completed the Team Development Rating Scale at the conclusion of the meeting. Found some support for three patterns of team development. (Author/PVV)
Publisher:
Pages: 206-214

Title: Mediating Interpersonal and Small Group Conflict

By: Picard, Cheryl A.
Date: 1998
This book has been written as an introductory text for individuals interested in improving their skills for dealing with interpersonal and small group conflict at home or at work. It is for students learning about conflict resolution. And, it is a book for “would be “ mediators.
Publisher: Ottawa: Golden Dog Press
Pages: 136

Title: Dynamics of Crisis Intervention: Loss As the Common Denominator, The

By: Mitchell, Juliann Whetsell
Date: 1999
Mitchell, a licensed psychologist, describes the basic aspects of crisis intervention, including listening and verbal skills; creating a sense of stability and structure; understanding nonverbal behaviors; identifying and accessing resources; and gender, race, and cultural issues. -Book News,Inc.
Publisher: Charles C. Thomas Pub Ltd.
ISBN/ISSN: ISBN: 0398069158
Obtain From: major booksellers

Title: Toward a Nonviolent Campus Climate: Conflict Resolution

By: California Community Colleges Academic Senate
Date: 1996
Changes in the demographics of the student population, the political climate, the economic health of CA and the nation, and the availability of public support services have contributed to an emerging climate of violence as a means of problem solving or as a consequence of frustration. Community college faculty and staff may protect their students and themselves by understanding and recognizing the perspectives of students and adopting intervention approaches that emphasize communication skills and conflict resolution techniques rather than authoritative force. Effective conflict resolution involves active listening and an understanding of legal, personal, and institutional rights and responsibilities. Community college faculty are in a unique position to explore innovative approaches to conflict resolution, such as the introduction of collaborative learning in the classroom. Faculty and staff must develop skills that encompass direct, assertive expression, effective listening, awareness of non-verbal communication, accurate descriptions of behavior, and accurate assessments of one's own perceptions. Possible approaches for faculty and staff development in the area of conflict resolution include offering training seminars, creating and disseminating materials and resources on conflict resolution, establishing an emergency crisis team, integrating conflict resolution in the curriculum, and promoting campus safety. Finally, clear student discipline policies identifying the expected standard of student conduct should exist and be enforced. (TGI)
Publisher: Sacramento: California Community Colleges Academic Senate Educational Policies Committee
Pages: 13
Obtain From: ERIC

Title: Cooperation in Academic Negotiations: A Guide to Mutual Gains Bargaining

By: Birnbaum, Robert; et al.
Date: 1985
A guide to mutual gains bargaining (MGB) is presented for faculty union leaders and college administrators, as well as school systems. MGB is based on applied behavioral sciences concepts and the use of bargaining teams and emphasizes problem-solving and improving communications and campus relationships. Two different uses of the mutual gains concept are described: (1) work by a neutral third party on-campus to help renegotiate a contract and (2) a workshop with three unionized campuses. Theoretical bases for MGB are considered, with attention to intergroup competition and attribution, integrative bargaining and distributive bargaining, and intraorganizational bargaining. For each topic, a fictional dialogue at the negotiating table or in caucus is presented, followed by a nontechnical summary of theory, and exercises or simulations. This format is also used to introduce the following skills for MGB: problem-solving, issue control and fractionating conflict, organizing, and using dual-track governance. The Academic Bargaining Questionnaire is presented, along with information on use of the results, which help campus groups assess their bargaining relationship and ways to make bargaining more constructive. Finally, steps to implement MGB are covered. (SW)
Publisher: Rutgers, The State Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Inst. of Management and Labor Relations.

Title: Training in Conflict-Habituated Systems: Lessons from Cyprus

By: Diamond, Louise
Date: 1997
For several years, a consortium of organizations has been delivering training workshops in conflict resolution to individuals from both communities on Cyprus. The result is a broadly-based, multi-track citizen peacebuilding movement that involves hundreds of Greek and Turkish Cypriots in bi-communal training, dialogue and cooperative activity. This set of workshops is grounded in a theory of practice that holds conflict resolution to be a transformational process engaging peoples‘ hearts and minds, and addressing the deep-rooted patterns that characterize conflict-habituated systems. The article posits six ways the training operates as a systems‘ intervention: as a forum for learning, where learning itself becomes a meta-goal; for capacity building, where useful skills become resources for peacebuilding; for dialogue, where participants have a safe space for engaging each other on subjects of critical interest; for community building, where people form alliances and deep bonds as a human infrastructure for peacebuilding; for modeling, where the training staff demonstrates the principles and practices it teaches; and for culture change, where the culture created in the learning community acts as an agent of change within the culture of the conflict-habituated system. This article discusses critical training issues relevant to the Cyprus project, including cultural appropriateness, linkages to Track One initiatives, evaluation, and lasting effects of the program. Lessons are drawn out that can be useful in other conflict-habituated systems.
Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers
ISBN/ISSN: 1382-340X

Title: Teaching Negotiation Theory and Skills Over the Internet

By: McKersie, Robert B.; Fonstad, Nils Olaya
Date: 1997
The authors used the Internet to teach negotiation theory and skills during a seven-week seminar that was conducted completely over the World Wide Web. This experiment revealed several advantages and difficulties likely to arise in the conduct of distance learning" for topics in negotiation. The authors reflect on how they would organize the seminar differently, should they do it again, and offer suggestions for others organizing courses using the Internet." -Negotiation Journal
Publisher: New York: Plenum Press
Pages: 363-368
ISBN/ISSN: Plenum Press, Libraries

Title: Competing Globally: Mastering Cross-Cultural Management and Negotiations

By: Elashmawi, Farid
Date: 2001
To book seeks to enhance the reader's skills in communicating, managing, marketing, and negotiating across cultures. Topics covered include communicating across cultures, negotiating across cultures, international marketing, and multicultural management skills. 
Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann
Pages: 320
ISBN/ISSN: ISBN: 0877193711
Obtain From: Major booksellers and libraries.

Title: Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline: The Seven Basic Skills for Turning Conflict into Cooperation

By: Bailey, Rebecca Anne
Date: 2000
This book presents seven skills to be utilized by parents towards their children in order to reduce conflict and promote cooperation.
Publisher: William Morrow & Co.
Pages: 285
ISBN/ISSN: ISBN: 0688161162
Obtain From: major booksellers

Title: Resident Assistants on Black and White Campuses Assess Resident Student Problems

By: Twale, Darla J.; Burrell, Leon F.
Date: 1994
Resident assistants (n=117) on three rural campuses assessed frequency of occurrence and their preparedness for resolving 11 resident student problem areas and checked the skills they used to resolve these problems. Findings showed that training programs helped respondents address some issues and experience and maturity aided in the resolution of others. (Author/NB)
Publisher:
Pages: 29-34
Obtain From: ERIC

Title: Adventures in Peacemaking: A Conflict Resolution Guide for School-Age Programs

By: Kreidler, William ; Furlong, Lisa
Date: 1996
This guide, which is designed to meet the unique needs of after school programs, camps, and recreation centers, contains hundreds of hands-on, engaging activities that teach basic conflict resolution skills through cooperative challenges, drama, crafts, music and even cooking.
Publisher: Cambridge, MA: Educator's for Social Responsibility
Pages: 330
Obtain From: Educators for Social Responsibility

Title: Bridging the Gap Between Negotiating Experience and Analysis

By: Druckman, Daniel
Date: 1996
This article describes a teaching approach aimed at helping students to develop the skills needed to understand the negotiation research literature, as well as making them more sensitive observers of the negotiation processes.
Publisher: New York, NY: Plenum Press
Pages: 371-384
ISBN/ISSN: Plenum Press, libraries

Title: Cooperative Argumentation: A Model for Deliberative Community

By: Makau, Josina M.; Marty, Debian L.
Date: 2001
This practical text offers a fresh approach to argumentation--one that combines reason and refutation with community building, mutual respect, and a recognition of interdependence. The authors provide a wide variety of examples to illustrate concrete proposals for cultivating moral abilities, cognitive skills, and communicative virtues. The ability to engage in cooperative argumentation across differences--moral, social, economic, political ethnic--permits individuals to resolve conflicts peacefully, effectively, and responsibly.
Publisher: Waveland Press
ISBN/ISSN: ISBN: 1577661397
Obtain From: Major booksellers, Libraries

Title: Higher Education as Preparation for the Handling of Controversial Issues

By: Collier, K. G.
Date: 1984
Higher education focuses largely on acquisition of knowledge and development of skills of rigorous argument, rarely giving attention to subjective perceptions or subjective value assumptions, in either the parties of a controversy or the student himself. Elements of the college curriculum, when properly developed, can help students identify subjective factors. (MSE)
Publisher: