Ritual and Symbol in Peacebuilding

Conflict is drama, Schirch (peacebuilding, Eastern Mennonite U.) reminds readers, which is why it is always splattered across the media. She argues that peacebuilding can and needs to be equally dramatic in order to capture people's imagination and interest, and that peacebuilders are the choreographers, directors, and set designers. Rital does not replace other tools for conflict transformation, but supplements traditional front door approaches that tend to be limited to direct, rational, and linear modes. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Lisa Schirch is an associate professor of peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University’s Conflict Transformation Program. She received her doctorate in conflict analysis and resolution from George Mason University. A former Fulbright fellow, Schirch has fifteen years of experience consulting with a network of strategic partner organizations around the world. Her peacebuilding experience includes facilitating interethnic dialogues, designing training programs for women in peacebuilding, creating alternative security strategies, and working as a mediator and trainer.