Democracy and Conflict Management
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In the U.S.
Democratic processes are, in effect, one form of conflict management, where decisions are made by the electoral, legislative, and judicial processes. Two project participants discuss the importance of these processes, and observe problems that seem to be arising in American democracy.
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Laura Chasin suggests that the degeneration of public discourse poses a threat to democracy.
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Frank Dukes talks about the importance of public participation in conflict resolution processes.
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In Post-Conflict Situations
Issues of democracy and conflict management are quite different in newly-forming democracies, as the following comments illustrate.
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Terrence Lyons suggests that in post-conflict settings, there are risks associated both with premature elections and with waiting too long to hold elections.
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Ray Shonholtz describes how his organization, Partners for Democratic Change, works to help newly-establishing democracies.
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Terrence Lyons talks about the tension between maintaining stability and addressing past injustice in post-conflict reconstruction and democratization processes.
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Ozell Sutton discusses the nature of power and authority.
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