Commentary | Common Ground, Common Good
How unlikely partners came together on a Maine riverDecades of dam building had decimated migratory fish populations that had long sustained local wildlife and people on the Penobscot River. After years of contentious battles, local stakeholders struck a deal. Today, for the first time in 200 years, river life is rebounding. And the power company has not lost any hydropower generation.
How to build peace, one teenager at a timeAt Seeds of Peace, we bring kids from conflict zones together to learn to see each other and their differences in a new light. Now, our first generation of alumni are emerging as leaders of their societies and leveraging their experience to build peace.
Civil discourse that doesn鈥檛 taste like broccoliNeither a barrage of facts nor a sense of civic duty alone will make people reexamine their positions. As we've learned at The Village Square, civil discourse requires friendship, humor 鈥� and irreverence.
The potential of local conflict resolution in DarfurArab nomads in Darfur have organized interlocking conflict resolution networks to address local disputes before they escalate. Their work could help bring lasting peace to a region plagued by violence. But it requires stronger international support to fulfill its promise.
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Polar bear diplomacy: Where the US and Russia can agreeOn an arctic island 250 miles from the nearest Siberian village, US and Russian scientists are collaborating on wildlife research. Their work proves: Conservation transcends geopolitics.
How Myanmar can combat ethnic conflictMyanmar holds the key to improving the lives of millions within its borders and beyond.聽With international support, it must work to promote social unity and empower and protect minorities. Then it can be an example for a region that has too often failed to uphold pluralist norms.
Climate change is divisive. Climate solutions are not.People of all stripes 鈥� whether green-living gurus or thrifty penny pinchers, conservatives or liberals 鈥� want to use less energy. Now, technology and behavioral science are giving them the tools to do it.
What I learned as a liberal talking head on Fox NewsFor a radical progressive who once harbored negative stereotypes about folks on the right, it was a turning point for me: Though Sean Hannity or Sarah Palin and聽I disagree profoundly on politics 鈥� they're personable, kind, and human. If you want to persuade people, you can鈥檛 demonize them.
Japan and South Korea: Don鈥檛 let history dictate the futureAddressing a sensitive past will let these two key democratic powers secure a tense region 鈥� and US interests. President Obama's sit-down with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President聽Park聽Geun-hye聽may have been the start of a needed rapprochement.
Tunisia鈥檚 model for bridging political and social dividesWhen any country enters a transition out of war or dictatorship, its citizens are full of hope that their leaders, economies, and societies will change. Yet too few transitions deliver.聽As seen in post-apartheid South Africa, the key to democratic transitions is political and social inclusiveness.
How the American people would fix Social SecuritySupposedly the public's inability to face the realities of Social Security makes it a 'third rail' for Congress. But when a recent survey presented Democratic and Republican voters with policy options, the majority聽clearly agreed on solutions to end the Social Security shortfall.
The education reform compromise heard round the USTo fix New Haven鈥檚 failing schools, the teachers union and mayor forged a rare compromise 鈥� a model for聽school districts and unions across the country in how to confront major challenges facing public education, without blaming each other, resisting change, or fighting in the streets.
How grass-roots peace can take hold in South SudanBringing peace to conflict-torn South Sudan will require more than negotiated cease-fires and UN aid. Key community leaders 鈥� especially women activists and church pastors 鈥� must work for local unity.
Syria: What 鈥� and who 鈥� it will take to end the warThe Geneva II peace talks on Syria set to begin next week should lay the groundwork for a diplomatic deal to end the country's three-year civil war. In spite of differences,聽Russian, US, and Iranian strategic interests can align, but Iran must be allowed to play a role in negotiations.
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