The Fog of Peace: The Human Face of Conflict Resolution

by Gabrielle Rifkind, Giandomenico Picco

Institutions do not decide whom to destroy or to kill, whether to make peace or war; those decisions are the responsibility of individuals. This book argues that the most important aspect of conflict resolution is for antagonists to understand their opponents as individuals, their ambitions, their pains, the resentments that condition their thinking and the traumas they do not fully themselves grasp. Gabrielle Rifkind and Giandomenico Pico here present two very different experiences of international relations - Rifkind as a psychotherapist now immersed in the politics of the Middle East, and Picco as a career diplomat with a long and successful record as a negotiator at the UN. Should we talk to the enemy? What happens if the protagonists are nasty and brutish, tempting policy-makers to retaliate? How do nations find the capacity not to hit back, trapping themselves in endless cycles of violence?Presenting a unique combination of psychological theories, geopolitical realities and first-hand peace-making experience, this book sheds new light on some of the worst conflicts in the modern world and demonstrates, above all, how empathy can often be far more persuasive than the most fearsome weapons.
By exploring the question of intervention versus non-intervention, and examining how the changing nature of warfare and technology has both armed the warmonger, whilst empowering the individual through social media, this is a highly topical, comprehensive overview on international diplomacy and the complexities of peace-making.

288 pages, Hardcover

First published March 6, 2014

Reviews

[Paloma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I expected.

I was drawn by the title's book, as it is indeed rare to find a work focused on peace-making and furthermore, a book which addresses the importance of the individual, drifting away from traditional concepts of the nation-state, armies, etc. When I also read "human face" and revised the author's curriculum, I was quite excited: I thought this book would include examples of their personal experiences, detailed descriptions as to when and how the taking into account the "other" as a human being at the negotiation table that would make theory more descriptive. What I was found was a collection of quotes, ideas on psychology and very few examples. What the authors is interesting but I think it lacked more examples that created more impact and a deeper understanding of their thesis. What they claim -that understanding personal narratives is key for negotiation and peace making and that the constant disregard to this aspect is what has causes failure in addressing conflicts such as the Israeli-Palestinian- is an idea that has been discussed before. I think the authors missed an opportunity to truly enrich this thesis with their accounts. They cite two or three cases -and for example, their explanation of the negotiation in Northern Island almost brought me to tears, as it is a powerful example of what we need to learn. But that was about it.

In the end, I was looking for a title that was rich in description and examples. However, I am left with two important concepts: that empathy is not something natural to human beings, it is something that we need to develop; and that empathy is key to understanding the other as a human being: his terrors, losses and pain, because when we do, we can identify ourselves, our enemy, at the same level, as humans.