Evolution of a Field: Personal Histories in Conflict Resolution. Edited by Howard Gadlin and Nancy A. Welsh

• Published date: 01 October 2021
• Author: Donald T. Saposnek
• Date: 01 October 2021
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12612

EVOLUTION OF A FIELD: PERSONAL HISTORIES

IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION. EDITED BY HOWARD GADLIN

AND NANCY A. WELSH

Donald T. Saposnek

This book review of Evolution of a Field: Personal Histories in Conflict Resolution, co-edited by Howard Gadlin and Nancy

A. Welsh, presents an overview, with snippets of personal and autobiographical material, of this penetrating collection that

comprises the “personal stories”of 23 leading practitioners and scholars in the field of conflict resolution. The editors asked

the authors to reflectively tell their stories about what factors led to their interest in conflict resolution, how their career paths

flowed, what pleasures their journey gave them, and what theyhave learned. Organized into 23 chapters and four themes that

emerged from the stories, this book is an inspirational contribution to our field.

Key Points for the Family Court Community

This book offers a probing view into the minds and career paths of leading scholars and practitioners of the conflict

resolution field.

The authors reveal their personal “stories”of what motivated them to pursue their work, ranging from personal early

trauma to intellectual curiosity, with a healthy dose of serendipity in the mix.

This volume will inspire new conflict resolvers and will give hope and expanded views to experienced practitioners.

The reader will easily relate to the authors’stories and feel roused and awed by the accomplishments of this esteemed

group of colleagues.

Keywords: Book Review; Conflict Resolution; Cultural Influences; Dispute Resolution; Mediation Metaphors; Personal

Histories; Personal Stories; Social Justice.

Conflict is inevitable. Conflict is ubiquitous. Conflict is perpetual. So, why, on earth, would any-

one even want to try tackling it? THAT is the story behind this book. Editors Howard Gadlin and

Nancy Welsh assembled some two dozen of the top leaders and prolific writers in the field of con-

flict resolution and offered them the mission to capture the essence of why they thought spending

their professional lives trying to resolve conflict was a worthy enterprise. The remarkable range of

their responses is displayed in this book, Evolution of a Field: Personal Histories in Conflict

Resolution.

1

The short answer to this motivational question of “Why tackle conflict?”is that conflict also is

alluring, seductive, and compelling. For some (including the public, writ large), it cannot be resisted

and is the headline “Breaking News”and biggest money-maker for Cable News and other media

outlets. For some, conflict demands a resolution. For others, it generates an opportunity to feel an

acute sense of agency and accomplishment in helping to resolve it. And yet, for others, it elicits

intense curiosity to simply understand its roots. Each of these motivations are represented by vari-

ous authors (from practitioners to academics) as reasons for their entry into the field. However, to

effectively round off the scope of responses to conflict, I must make mention of those who are pro-

pelled to flee from conflict. Those folks are not represented in the views of this ensemble of authors,

although, interestingly, a number of the authors did acknowledge the paradox that they, and many

others of their colleagues in the field, self-identify as being conflict-avoidant. In fact, in his chapter,

“A Mediator’s Path,”David Hoffman, writes, “I have asked other mediators about their scores on

Corresponding: dsaposnek@mediate.com

FAMILY COURT REVIEW, Vol. 59 No. 4, October 2021 831–839, doi: 10.1111/fcre.12612

© 2021 Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.