Because polarization and demonization of the "other" are increasingly prevalent in today's America, there are limited opportunities for deep and informed engagement across lines of difference, particularly on college campuses. "Bridging the Gap: Dialogue across Difference" (BTG) is a 2-3 week January term immersive experience…

Originally from Cork, Ireland, Richard Kearney is Charles B. Seelig Professor in Philosophy at Boston College. Among his many books, three titles in particular are representative of the themes discussed in this interview: "Hosting the Stranger" (Continuum, 2011, co-edited with James Taylor); "On Stories" (Routledge, 2002); and…

This paper summarizes the development and evaluation of an assessment instrument for children ages 7-12. The CHILD CARRE measure is a semi-structured interview with 7 domains. Children from the USA and Argentina (N = 134) completed baseline and follow-up assessments. Substance use occurred at an average age of 8. Almost 33% of the children were…

Many schools and out-of-school organizations use social-emotional learning (SEL) programs to boost students' skills. Yet research shows that these programs can be difficult to implement and don't always meet students' needs. In response, Rebecca Bailey, Laura Stickle, Gretchen Brion-Meisels, and Stephanie Jones propose a new approach to SEL…

More than half of poor African American infants are born into "fragile families" and nearly half grow up in single-mother families with little or no father involvement. However, most prenatal interventions fail to help unmarried mothers talk and plan together with their baby's father, especially when fathers are nonresidential. This…

The private/personal sphere is perceived to be a channel of empowerment that fosters processes of acknowledgment and recognition during encounters between participants from different cultural groups. Drawing on ethnographic research at an inter-cultural program that offered a space for engagement for Palestinian and Jewish educational trainees',…

One manifestation of division and the history of conflict in Northern Ireland is the parallel education system that exists for Protestants and Catholics. Although recent decades have seen some advances in the promotion of integrated education, around 95% of children continue to attend schools separated on ethno-religious lines. In 2007 a programme…

Describes workshops developed to bring awareness of the dual-couple dilemma to students' attention and to teach coping skills for dealing with sources of conflict. Lists myths and facts drawn from interviews with dual-career couples. Describes three structured group exercises and two skill checklists. (RC)

Third-party intervention is increasingly recognized as an effective means of settling social, institutional, community, and interpersonal disputes. Traditionally, mediation efforts have been directed toward conflicts involving labor/management relations. Since the 1960s, however, mediation efforts have also been applied to situations involving…

The use of poetry in couples' groups is suggested to facilitate group process and break down resistance. Techniques include the use of reactions to a poem or song, the construction of poems, and the development of images. Poetry can help clients express feelings and examine communication patterns. (Author)

Describes therapist-structured marital separation for distressed couples during their critical period of deciding whether to divorce or remain married. Discusses characteristics of marital distress appropriate for structured marital separation, potential benefits, and design of the separation contract. Issues addressed include duration, frequency…

This paper discusses the role of the on-site consultant in a teacher-initiated change program in Cleveland's elementary schools. A local university offered 15 hours of on-site course work at each school, and the counselor was to serve as a non-directive resource person who would facilitate the process of translating course content into classroom…

Evaluated the effectiveness of a structured educational program to train premarital couples in communication and mutual problem-solving skills. Couples (N=26) participated in a problem-solving training program, while similar couples (N=28) participated in a relationship discussion group. The problem-solving group showed a greater increase in…

An increase in verbal and physical encounters among elementary students led to the implementation of a conflict resolution program to assist teachers and students in solving interpersonal problems. The project was implemented over 8 months in grades three through five in a private elementary school. The goal of the project was to teach students…

The creation of "areas" designed for conflict resolution has been an effective method of teaching important communication skills. Elementary youngsters (K-6) who may be at odds with one another are placed in a situation that is conducive to generating face-to-face interaction. The location of "conflict areas" should be strategically chosen,…