Origin 

The Columbia University Conflict Resolution Network (CU-CRN) was founded in 1997 by a voluntary group of faculty members from throughout the University interested in conflict resolution.  The result of their efforts was a broad-based multidisciplinary conflict resolution resource for the entire Columbia community used to strengthen the research, teaching and training initiatives of its independent schools and departments.

Description

The CU-CRN coordinates the activities of the various institutions within Columbia University interested in conflict resolution.  The Network also provides important opportunities for scholars and practitioners from the various disciplines (law, international affairs, education, psychology, anthropology, sociology, business, etc.) to collaborate on research, theory development, practical model building, conflict interventions and resource development.  The CU-CRN has initiated a series of coordinated activities, including multidisciplinary courses, seminars, international conferences, training programs, publications, a senior fellows program, and the provision of conflict resolution services to the Columbia University community and beyond.

Responding to New Challenges in the Field

For over seventy years, members of the academic community have been conducting research aimed at enhancing the understanding of conflict and developing more constructive methods of its resolution.  Based on the seminal theoretical work of Morton Deutsch of Columbia ’s Teachers College, a cooperative, integrative approach to resolving conflict was developed which emphasizes the constructive potential for achieving mutually satisfying “win/win” solutions to many conflicts.  This mutual problem-solving approach has been shown to be effective with many types of conflict in such settings as personal, business, community, and international arenas. 

Currently, however, both scholarly and practical work in the field of conflict resolution face two important challenges.

A Multidisciplinary Framework

The first challenge concerns the complexity of many social conflicts.  Because many of the significant conflicts that societies face are rooted in political, economic, and social histories, and are fueled by social-psychological dynamics, the analysis and resolution of these conflicts cannot be reasonably conducted from any one disciplinary perspective. Rather, the resolution of these conflicts must be embedded in a multidisciplinary framework.  The traditional, specialized training orientation within psychology, international relations, law, anthropology, and so on, lessens the chances for such an approach.  Combining traditional disciplinary paradigms and methodologies with multidisciplinary ones is a daunting task, but an essential one if the field of conflict resolution is going to offer effective solutions to the world’s most perplexing problems.

Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice

Second, there is a growing concern in the field of conflict resolution over the substantial “gap” which exists between theory and practice.  Many practitioners of conflict resolution dismiss the contributions of theorists and researchers, particularly when the research challenges their own opinions or methods.  At the same time, scholars often fail to utilize the expertise of highly skilled practitioners in their development of theory, and research designs often fail to take into account what practitioners and policy makers want or need to know.  In fact, a recent evaluation of the 18, mostly university-based, Hewlett Theory Centers found that the work of most practitioners surveyed had been largely unaffected by the important contributions generated by the various Centers (theory, publications, etc.).  At the same time, much of the research conducted at these Centers was found to be “removed from practice realities and constraints”.  This lack of effective collaboration between scholars and practitioners is problematic for the development of the field and a significant waste in such an applied area.

Current Activities

The CU-CRN is currently undertaking fundraising efforts to expand the Network and establish it as an internationally recognized arena for cutting-edge, multidisciplinary work in conflict resolution emphasizing the theory-practice link.  The Network will provide important opportunities for scholars and practitioners from various disciplines to collaborate on research, theory development, practical models, and conflict intervention. The CU-CRN will initiate a series of coordinated activities such as multidisciplinary courses, seminars, international conferences, publications, a senior fellows program, and conflict resolution services to the Columbia community and beyond.  After two years of operation, the current CU-CRN serves as a solid foundation for the initiative of fully establishing itself as a comprehensive multidisciplinary Network that is relatively unburdened by unnecessary infrastructure, and which effectively and creatively addresses new challenges in the field.

Founding Entities

The founding entities of the Conflict Resolution Network are: Center for International Conflict Resolution (CICR)