Chapter FourAvoidance and Engagement
Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict—alternatives to passive or aggressive responses, alternatives to violence.
Dorothy Thompson, journalist
Life constantly presents us with choices about whether to engage or avoid conflict. Consider the following scenarios:
- The office manager of a university department believes that one member of the faculty in her unit is having inappropriate contact with students.
- Your teenager seems to be spending more time on social media than on his homework.
- Your spouse is involved in an extended custody battle with his ex and you think he is fixated on this rather than moving on with his life.
- A co-worker comes ...
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