This holiday was created to bring awareness to methods of conflict resolution and honors a history of non-violent activism. Although some disagree with the idea that non-violence is always the right approach, the day was also designed to educate people about the best ways to escalate disputes in order to reach a resolution. It has gained traction in recent years, as the idea of restorative justice becomes more popular in social justice circles. Conflict resolution day is about taking the right steps to redress issues rather than simply assigning blame to one side. Read about the conflict resolution class offered by the communications department. 

Current Issues in Conflict Resolution

The protests that erupted in response to the death of George Floyd led to a racial reckoning across America. These events had a surprising result- a movement began to encourage corporate America to address issues surrounding race. With most of life on pause during quarantine, the protests were hard to ignore. Even for those working from home, it was hard not to talk about what was going on in the news. Many companies began campaigns to recognize racial issues in society as well as reorganizing their priorities and policies on diversity. To many, this response of corporate accountability seemed reminiscent of the movement to divest from South Africa under apartheid in the 1990s. During global diversity month, it is important to draw on lessons from history about social change. At present, this can take the form of changing the mindset about conflict resolution in the workplace as simply a matter of interpersonal interactions to reconsidering it as a tool for advancing social justice by using strategies of non-violent activism.

Looking for Library Resources?

Digital Resources

Ebooks

Business Ethics Peace& Conflict Studies

• The handbook of conflict resolution : theory and practice
• Collaborating with the Enemy : How to Work with People You Don’t Agree with or Like or Trust by Adam Kahane
• The Spirit of Dialogue : Lessons From Faith Traditions in Transforming Conflict by Aaron T. Wolf
• Generations at Work : Managing the Clash of Boomers, Gen Xers, and Gen Yers in the Workplace by Ron Zemke, Claire Raines, and Bob Filipczak

• We the Resistance : Documenting a History of Nonviolent Protest in the United States by Michael G. Long
• Positive Peace : Reflections on Peace Education, Nonviolence, and Social Change by Andrew Fitz-Gibbon
• We Are Power : How Nonviolent Activism Changes the World by Todd Hasak-Lowy
• Why Civil Resistance Works : The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict by Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan

Databases

Business Ethics Peace & Conflict Studies

Journals

Business Ethics Peace & Conflict Studies

Tips for Browsing the Stacks

If you are interested in historical uses and theories on non-violence, you’ll be looking for subclass HN call numbers- social history, conditions, problems, and reform. For books on conflict resolution in the workplace, you’ll be looking for call numbers HM786-806: theory and sociology. 

Selections from the Children’s Section

• Being your best : character building for kids 7-10 by Barbara Lewis
• What does peace feel like? by Vladimir Radunsky
• I did it, I’m sorry by Caralyn Buehner
• March: the series by John Lewis
• The behavior survival guide for kids : how to make good choices and stay out of trouble by Thomas McIntyre
• Nelson Mandela by Kadir Nelson

Selections from the Social Justice Section

• Peaceful protest : the life of Nelson Mandela by Yona Zeldis McDonough
• Sit-in : how four friends stood up by sitting down by Andrea Davis Pinkney
• Twelve days in May : Freedom Ride 1961 by Larry Dane Brimner
• Martin Luther King, Jr. : apostle of militant nonviolence by James A. Colaiaco

In need of some primary sources?

Visit the Peace Collection and Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College. Also check out the Freedom Summer Digital Collection which contains materials from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.