UNION: Tough Conversations—Facing down a civil war

This session will be led by Dr. Ute Kelly, Associate Professor in Peace Studies at the University of Bradford. Ute will be using the short book written by renowned American peace practitioner/scholar John Paul Lederach in 2024 as a starting point for discussion :

The Pocket Guide for Facing Down a Civil War:
Surprising ideas from everyday people who shifted the cycles of violence

The 'Pocket Guide' invites us to consider how we might respond to dynamics of toxic polarisation and the pull of more violent approaches to politics. Drawing on the experiences of people who have lived in violent contexts and on his decades-long experience of supporting peace processes, Lederach opens up space for reflection on how to 'embody the basic idea that politics without violence where we live is possible'.

The Pocket Guide is freely available online here. It is not very long!