Editor's Introduction

Published date01 December 2013
Date01 December 2013
DOIhttp://doi.org/10.1002/crq.21088
A s I reflect on the 2013 conference of the Association for Conflict Res-
olution, the Editorial Board and I have decided to take on a new chal-
lenge for the journal. Conflict Resolution Quarterly will become the home
for articles examining the current state of theory and practice in the fields
of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and conflict resolution (CR). What
impact are we making and how can we do more? What changes are needed
to ensure the knowledge and practices of conflict management become
widespread to the benefit of society as a whole? Beginning with volume 32
no. 3, you will read provocative articles designed to spark difficult conver-
sations about our work and how we do it. Please join in this endeavor by
submitting thoughtful articles that contribute to this dialogue.
As I reflect on how much the fields of ADR and CR have changed in
the past fifteen years, I feel a desire to pause to take stock of how we got here
and to b etter understand the state of knowledge in my own areas of prac-
tice. Even as an editor, I find it stimulating and occasionally overwhelming
to note the breadth and depth of new knowledge being produced in these
fields. For this reason, I am quite appreciative of articles like the one con-
tributed by Robert W. Alexander and Rosemary O’Leary concerning the
origins and evolution of the US Institute for Environment Conflict Resolu-
tion (USIECR). Using their long experience as researchers and practi-
tioners, Alexander and O’Leary analyze the challenges faced by the USIECR
when it began, as well as helping us to understand its current contributions
and future impact. While this article is especially significant for those inter-
ested in environmental conflict resolution, its implications are important
for any new ADR/CR organization or agency seeking to improve the pro-
cess of public decision making and community collaboration.
Each article in this issue focuses our attention on new knowledge and
cutting-edge use of conflict resolution processes and tools. Emily Beausoleil
and Michelle LeBaron apply what we know about neuroscience and con-
flict to the practice of dance and bring new ideas about the practice of
conflict resolution to readers. Yu Maemura shares with readers the impact
of dialogues designed to overcome stereotypes among contentious groups,
yet an equally important contribution is his methodology, which can be
EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION
C R Q, vol. 31, no. 2, Winter 2013 109
© Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the Association for Conflict Resolution
Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) • DOI: 10.1002/crq.21088

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