June 10, 2021Can enemy groups learn to develop compassion for one another? That was the question Carter School professor Daniel Rothbart set out to answer in his research at Rondine, a two-year “laboratory for peace.” Now, the results are in.
“This is the first in-depth case study of compassion among civilians who live in conflict zones,” said Rothbart, who collaborated with George Mason University professors Thalia Goldstein, Marc Gopin and Karina Korostelina. “We hope this is a model that can help create new practices for peacebuilders to cultivate compassion.”
Celine Apenteng may only have one biological sibling, but she regards nearly a dozen people from around the world as her sisters. This “extended family,” as she calls them, and Apenteng’s travels abroad, have had a profound impact on her view of education.
“There’s always something for you to learn,” said Apenteng, whose family has hosted exchange students from France, Moldova and Germany since she was 10. “Even if it’s not something new, the way somebody says something could impact how you think about it.”
Kevin Avruch received his A.B. from the University of Chicago and M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of California at San Diego (UCSD). In 2009 Avruch was appointed the Henry Hart Rice Professor of Conflict Resolution (succeeding Nadim Rouhana), and in 2013 he became S-CAR’s second Dean, succeeding Andrea Bartoli. In 2020 he became Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and Henry Hart Rice Professor of Conflict Resolution Emeritus.
Susan Allen is a scholar-practitioner of conflict resolution. Her main focus is on reflective practice and research that emerges from practice contexts.