Violence: Analysis, Intervention, and Prevention

Preface and Acknowledgments

xi Preface and Acknowledgments We hope that the topics treated in this book will provide guidance for students interested in the analysis and resolution of violent conflicts. The recent election of President Barack Obama and the increased popularity of Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS)—conflict analysis and resolution, conflict transformation, human rights, social justice, and peace studies—in undergraduate and graduate schools around the globe makes this an auspicious time for a book of this kind. The book is written for students interested in the nature of violence and how to intervene to prevent it and is also targeted toward students in social science programs that emphasize the micro (interpersonal) to macro (international) dimensions of conflict and violence. Conflict analysis and resolution most often uses a local-level problem-solving approach that is inclusive of multiple narratives whereby a third-party intermediary intervenes to transform relationships in a balanced and neutral process that advocates for all parties (Sandole, Byrne, SandoleStaroste , and Senehi 2009). Peace studies more often focus on specific issues such as disarmament, human rights, and social justice at the international level to nonviolently transform structures by advocating for and empowering the disempowered (Webel and Galtung 2007). Analyzing the multiple social, economic, cultural, historical, political, and psychological features is important if we are to address conflict situations and behavior constructively (Jeong 2008). Using the language of PACS in this book signifies that we seek to encompass and synthesize both theoretical and practice-oriented approaches. xii | Preface We wish to thank Dr. Arthur V. Mauro, OC, OM, QC, KSG, who has made it possible for us to work at such a wonderful and important center as a result of his generous gifts and farsightedness. Dr. Mauro ’s generosity, wisdom, and vision made possible the creation of the Arthur V. Mauro Centre for Peace and Justice and the Storytelling for Peacebuilding and Renewing Community (SPARC) institute and led to the establishment of Canada’s first PhD Program in Peace and Conflict Studies and a joint MA program with the University of Winnipeg within the Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Manitoba, both housed at the Mauro Centre. Dr. Mauro is truly an outstanding person; his passion to create a more peaceful world is truly engaging and inspiring. We want to thank Christine Retz for copyediting the manuscript and Ariann Kehler, Pauline Tennent, Gayle Roncin, Mavis Matenge, Olga Skarlato, Peter Karari, and Chuck Thiessen, research assistants in the Arthur V. Mauro Centre of Peace and Justice, for proofreading the manuscript and for assisting us in compiling the references. We also wish to thank Niall Byrne, Jennifer Ruiz-Byrne, David Senehi Jr., Alan Conlan, Dan Lenoski, Tom Boudreau, Hamdesa Tuso, Maureen Flaherty, David Creamer, Anna Snyder, Vincent O’Brien, Brian Rice, and John Perry for reading various drafts of this book. We are forever grateful to the love and dedication of our parents Michael and Patricia Byrne and David and Rose Senehi. Our nine-year-old precocious daughter, Katie Byrne, has a big heart and a beautiful smile for such a wee wane; she gives us inspiration for the future. We are grateful to our former student, Heather Tanksley, for granting us permission to use figures 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, and 5.1; to the Anti-Defamation League for the use of table 5.1; and to U.S. Department of Justice for the use of tables 6.1 and 6.2. We thank the Mauro Centre for giving us a small research grant to make this study and our book possible. Sean Byrne and Jessica Senehi The Cottage, VB August 20, 2011 ...