In this episode, we explore how the imagination is essential for building peace and transcending conflict. We also discuss more about how our morality is grounded in imagination. Our guest scholar in this episode is Dr. John Paul Lederach, Senior Fellow for Humanity United and Professor Emeritus of International Peacebuilding at the Joan B. Kroc Institute of International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame.

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Dr. John Paul Lederach is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in the fields of peacebuilding and conflict transformation. He is widely known for the development of culturally based approaches to conflict transformation; the design and implementation of integrative, strategic approaches to peacebuilding; and for carving a robust integration of the arts and social change. Over the course of his career, Lederach has garnered extensive experience working with non-governmental organizations, community-based initiatives impacted by cycles of violence, and national peace process design. He has worked extensively as a practitioner in conciliation processes in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast and Central Asia.

Lederach is the author or editor of 30 books and manuals (translated into a dozen languages), and numerous academic articles and monographs on peace education, conflict transformation, international peacebuilding, and conciliation training. He has developed training materials and manuals available in Spanish on peace education, conflict transformation, and mediation, now used widely throughout Latin America.

Lederach received his bachelor’s degree in history and peace studies from Bethel College and his doctorate of philosophy degree in sociology, with a concentration on social conflict, from the University of Colorado. He currently serves as Senior Fellow for Humanity United and Professor Emeritus of International Peacebuilding at the Joan B. Kroc Institute of International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame.

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While his full catalog of articles and books is well worth exploring, the publications below provide a useful introduction to his scholarship addressing the topic of imagination and peacebuilding:

Lederach, J. P. (2005). The moral imagination : the art and soul of building peace (1st ed.). Oxford University Press.

Lederach, J. P. (2008). Preparing For Peace Conflict Transformation Across Cultures . Syracuse Univ. Press.

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The Social Science for Public Good Podcast is a project of the ⁠⁠⁠Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠VT Publishing⁠⁠⁠ intended to make social science theories accessible and available to individuals and organizations seeking to promote social change.

Music: purple-planet.com