Addressing Polarization: Lessons from Conflict Zones

Finding Common Ground in a Divided World

What can strife in Israel and Palestine teach us about America’s own political polarization? Host Curtis Chang sits down with conflict resolution expert Nathan Stock of the Carter Center to explore some of the hard truths from Middle East—and the surprising parallels here at home. From media-fueled division to the hope for bipartisan breakthroughs, Curtis and Nathan unpack how deep-rooted conflict forms—and offer pathways to bring healing and hope.

(00:01) - Navigating Conflict in the Middle East

(14:05) - Lessons from Northern Ireland and South Africa

(16:42) - Building Hope for Conflict Resolution

(25:18) - Different Brain Types and Polarization

(26:30) - Bridging Political Divides to Further U.S. Unity

(39:27) - Building Community Through Shared Stories

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Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Summary: The "Six Day War" of 1967 (U.S. Dept. of State)
• Overview: October 7, 2023 and the Israel/Hamas Conflict (U.S. Congress)
• An Explanation of The Geneva Conventions and their Commentaries (The Red Cross)
• An Explanation of The Good Friday Agreement (Associated Press)
• Remembering The Breakup of Yugoslavia (U.S. Office of the Historian)
• Abstract: Shared neural representations and temporal segmentation of political content predict ideological similarity (Science Advances)
• John R. Hibbing, Kevin B. Smith, & John R. Alford’s book Predisposed: The Left, The Right, and The Biology of Political Differences
• NPR Poll: Most feel democracy is threatened and political violence is a major problem

The Carter Center’s Conflict Work:

• Nathan Stock’s article: There’s a new silent majority — and they need to be activated
• The Carter Center’s Democracy Program
• The Carter Center’s Conflict Resolution Program
• The Carter Center’s Conflict Resolution Reports

More In Common Studies:

• Listening Across Difference:  What Americans feel, fear, and want to learn
• Interpreting young Americans’ views on government, the Constitution, and the appeal of authoritarian alternatives​
• The Connection Opportunity: Insights for Bringing Americans Together Across Difference

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