Some comments from those who attended an earlier offering of this program:

“Excellent program.” • “It provides an excellent way to reframe conflict.” • “Fascinating; opened my eyes to a lot that I have never realized about myself and the wider society.”• “My friends, family are so politically polarized that the tools you suggested would so help us be more apt to listen.” • “Attend one [a "We the People" program]! It will help to change the way you think and for the good. It's the kind of engagement our country and the world needs.” • “There is hope we may be able to talk civilly again.” • “Go! Now!”

Applying the Integrative Conflict Management Model (ICM2) to civic discourse.

Exploring the opportunities for citizen connection and understanding. Rethinking our role as citizens to reestablish citizen connection, power and cooperation. Applying a revolutionary new approach to bridging differences. To Register ▼ To register for this workshop, click on the button below.     Workshop Information ▼ For workshop information, click on the button below.     Workshop Type ▼ This pilot workshop is designed to give participants practical tools that they can use immediately to identify, understand and respond to challenging political and civic discussions. The program includes all materials and web-based resources.

is a multi-media workshop introducing a new approach to civic discourse — one free of rancor, conflict and divisiveness. There is a heavy emphasis on practical tools.
“There is hope we may be able to talk civilly again.”
	— a "We the People" program participant

Become a Leader in ending American civic strife . . .

The purpose of this workshop is to provide
participants with information and concrete skills
for increasing citizen connection, understanding
and effectiveness.

Many have expressed concern about the rancor, hysteria and polarizing effects found in some of the current national political dialogue. How do we meet this challenge? How can we contribute to creating respectful, inclusive and effective civic conversations? We'll explore these and other questions at this stimulating, practical and inspiring event.

The focus on this multimedia workshop is not on issues. Rather, we'll direct our attention to the process of working together as citizen leaders to improve the national civic dialogue. We'll explore new approaches for enlisting cooperation, moving past fear, defusing conflict and reinstating understanding, reason and trust.

This workshop introduces the new "Integrative Conflict Management Model" (see below) — a revolutionary approach used to prevent and reduce conflict in a broad range of settings.

Schedule

Here's the workshop schedule for Saturday, 22 May 2010:

The Workshop

This workshop includes:

	The opportunity to join with others concerned about the current state of the American political process and who are looking to make a positive impact on the connection between all Americans.
	A summary of the revolutionary new Integrative Conflict Management Model (ICM2): what it is, how it works, and how it can be applied to defuse anger, defensiveness, and aggression so that effective civic dialogue can take place. This is the same approach used to defuse violence in prisons, schools, and international settings.
	Practical tools you can use now to help diffuse conflict, promote openness.
	An interactive segment addressing participant questions, experience, challenges, and opportunities. These range from your concerns about the current national dialogue, citizenship, opportunities to create positive solutions to how to deal with an antagonistic and divisive situations, and how to build workable bridges to positive national civic dialogue. This is the major focus of the workshop and we devote the majority of our time together to this segment.
	A short wrap-up which includes the next steps participants can take to enhance their individual and collective leadership to create a more effective and responsive civic discourse.

This program is part of the National Violence Reduction Initiative.

Who Should Attend

This program is open to everyone interested in effective citizenship, creating a positive and effective national civic dialogue, fostering empowered citizenship, and exploring the possibilities for compassion, understanding and building a bright future for all Americans. THIS PROGRAM IS IDEAL FOR — People of all political persuasions who want to understand and contribute to effective, cooperative and unifying civic dialogue • Civic leaders • Those wishing to advance specific political objectives (social service, environmental, business, etc.) • Students with an interest in civics and government • Anyone discouraged by the state of the local, regional and national political process.

The workshop is suitable for those aged 14 and older.

About the Program Facilitator

David Chadwick serves on the faculty of SpirtitRidge Institute and as a Fellow for Theoretical Applications. He works closely with theorist Ari Cowan to translate the Integrative Conflict Management Model (ICM2) into practical applications. The We the People workshop is one example of this effort.

David comes from a background in educational theory.  A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, he studied under Dr. Susan Lytle and took into his subsequent research a model for reflective writing developed from Dr. Lytle's studies in metacognitive aspects of literacy. 

This research in turn led to further post-graduate work at University of Massachusetts, where David utilized applications of Post-Structural and Feminist critical theory as well as Critical Discourse Analysis in an in-depth study of artists talking about and writing about art. This inspired an integrative model for facilitating critical consciousness through the rhetorical manipulation of subject position, a model with implied applications across the array of communicative genres and cultural and informational fields.

At SpiritRidge, David uses this experience in the work of effectively contextualizing and recontextualizing the IPM2,  ICM2 and PAR models for a wide variety of markets and cultures and also in the management of the Institute's educational outreach programs.

In his spare time, David composes music, his most recent work being a commissioned live soundtrack performed for the 2008 Philadelphia Film Festival.

The New Integrative Conflict Management Model

The Model : The Integrative Conflict Management Model (ICM2) is a new, evidence-based, cognitive approach to conflict built upon a public health foundation. It is a significant departure from existing approaches for dealing with conflict within and between people. The ICM2 incorporates new thinking about and language for describing conflict, provides a new framework for preventing and responding to conflict and presents an effective alternative to the commonly-used traditional approaches for dealing with conflict. Developed in Washington State, a variant of the ICM2 — the Violence Integrative Prevention and Restoration (PAR) Model — was successfully demonstrated at a Level 5 (maximum security) prison and in other settings.

Applications: In addition to applications in interpersonal and political settings, the ICM2 can be applied in a broad range of environments including political, management, employment, educational, diplomatic, legal, community, peacebuilding and family settings.

Effectiveness: Preliminary evidence about this new “social technology” suggests that conflict can be greatly reduced and, in some settings, eliminated. The ICM2 variant — the PAR Model — has been applied with success at a Level 5 (maximum security) facility in the United States. During the demonstration, violent incidents were reduced 100%, Intensive Management Unit ("segregation," “solitary,” the “hole”) referrals were reduced 100% and logged confrontation were reduced 100% (references available).

In addition to the early prison demonstration, the PAR Model has been successfully demonstrated in American schools and on the India-Pakistan border. These early indicators suggest that we can produce significant positive results in a broad range of disciplines and cultures.

Click here for more information about the PAR Model.

Additional Information

Language: The course is currently provided in English only.

Tuition: Tuition for this program is $10.00. This tuition rate is for this first program only. The tuition fees are intended to cover the cost of the room and the course materials. All materials are provided.

Recording: The operation of audio or video recording devices during these courses without the express written consent of SpiritRidge Institute is prohibited.

Discrimination: SpiritRidge Institute courses are open to qualified persons regardless of race, sex, national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, economic status or military service

IMPORTANT: Please note that faculty, fees and program specifications are subject to change without notice. Except as noted in the "Discrimination" section above, we reserve the right to limit or deny participation in this program.