Beyond Intractability: A Free Knowledge Base on More Constructive Approaches to Destructive Conflict

Introduction: Carolyn Stephenson, a peace researcher at the University of Hawai'i, talks about alternative definitions of pursuing "security."

This rough transcript provides a text alternative to audio. We apologize for occasional errors and unintelligible sections (which are marked with ???).

Alternative Methods for International Security
Carolyn Stephenson
Professor of Population Studies, College of Social Sciences, University of Hawai'i

Interviewed by
Julian Portilla
2003

Overall, I've been working in an area that I call Alternative Methods for International Security. I'm interested not only in conflict resolution, but in the variety of methods that can change the way we go about pursuing security. Conflict resolution and mediation is a sub-part of that, is one important part, but also things like nonviolence, nonviolent social movements, nonviolent economic sanctions, political sanctions that are not military, and then things like UN peacekeeping and so on. The question that I'm involved in is, "How do you get the mix of these methods that brings about a kind of international social system that gets rid of war but gets you security in a better way?"

Nonviolence which is a quality of the heart, cannot come by an appeal to the brain. -- Mahatma Gandhi

Featured Links
Organizations Making Noteworthy Contributions to Efforts to Promote More Constructive Conflict

Global Process Institute (GPI)

Other Resources from
Beyond Intractability

Interview With Morton Deutsch
One of the founders of this field talks about his research into "malignant relationships."

Nobel Peace Prize Winners

George Catlett Marshall
Former Secretary of State and Defense for the United States, originator of the Marshall Plan, and 1953 Nobel Peace Laureate

Beyond Intractability Version IV
Copyright © 2003-2007 The Beyond Intractability Project
Beyond Intractability is a Registered Trademark of the University of Colorado
Project Acknowledgements

The Beyond Intractability Knowledge Base Project
Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess, Co-Directors and Editors
c/o Conflict Information Consortium (Formerly Conflict Research Consortium), University of Colorado
Campus Box 580, Boulder, CO 80309
Phone: (303) 492-1635; Fax: (303) 492-2154; Contact