The Public Conversations Project prevents and transforms conflicts driven by deep differences in identity, beliefs, or values.
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Heart & Soul Community Planning
March 1, 2011 — When you think about land use planning (if you think about land use planning), chances are you think about esoteric zoning regulations or public notices appearing in the paper or fiery battles over property rights or development proposals. I think about conversations. And festivals. Storytelling and neighborhood block parties, schools and churches and chats over coffee at the local diner.
Searching for Wise Questions Again
January 13, 2011 — Almost a decade ago, in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, I was haunted by unanswerable questions. At that time, I was reminded of an exchange in Elie Wiesel’s Night, his memoir about the Holocaust. Young Elie’s spiritual master, Moche, tells him that every question possesses a power that does not lie in its answer. "Man raises himself toward God by the questions he asks Him," Moche explains.
Mixing it up for the State of the Union
January 10, 2011 — I don't know about you, but I generally watch the State-of-the-Union with people who think like me. That leaves all of us free to let loose our most partisan cheers, boos, and comments.
O’Reilly a Civility “First Follower?”
September 8, 2010—Here at the Public Conversations Project, we've been intrigued with an idea from music entrepreneur Derek Sivers, who posted a video on his Web site called "Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy." The lesson is that any change effort needs not just the guy who starts it, but "first followers"—the ones willing to stand (or dance) alongside a leader and embrace a new thing when it's risky or looks dumb.
Fieldwork: Lessons From Play
The beginning of baseball season has me remembering. Most of the important lessons of my life happened to me when I was much younger. It’s just taken me all these years to get their meaning. I’m still discovering, for instance, the lessons I learned—good and bad—about how to treat other people.
Needed: A Healthier Process
A recent New York Times analysis about the passage of health care reform describes an issue greater than any single concrete problem: Our ability to problem-solve, together. Be it abortion, a crippled economy, or health care—the last year saw a disturbing amount of name-calling, polarization, and gridlock.
Happier New Year, Jeff Jacoby—Jan. 25, 2010
Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby ruined my New Year’s Eve. His final column of 2009, “New Adventures in Incivility” interrupted my annual effort to prioritize self-improvement strategies for the incoming year, a mental ritual that has usually been an effective distraction from excessive brooding about ominous trends in The Big Picture.
