Perspectives on Conflict

In this treasure of a volume, Ken Fox shares gathered wisdom from decades as a scholar, teacher, and practitioner. The book is something rare, as relevant for someone starting out as for veterans of conflict work. Fox centers good conflict practice around self-awareness – emotional, cognitive, and somatic – translating theory into practice in ways only possible for a seasoned expert. Both moving and genuine, the book is conversational, accessible and comprehensive, and it will quickly become an essential classic in the field. – Michelle LeBaron * Professor of Law, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada *As an educator committed to helping students become ‘fit for purpose’ as conflict practitioners, I find this book invaluable. Ken Fox makes a compelling case for strategies that truly prepare students and practitioners for the complexity of conflict work, addressing persistent gaps in the field. He underscores the importance of reflective and reflexive practice and the need to embody humility and curiosity, even in a profession that often casts us as experts. This book is a necessary companion for cultivating the critical capacities required for effective and ethical conflict practice. – Cherise D. Hairston * Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University, USA; elder of the National Association for Community Mediation *Kenneth Fox has written the kind of book many conflict practitioners have been waiting for. It helps us slow down, think more clearly, and reconnect with the deeper questions beneath our work. He invites us into a rich exploration of what conflict is, how it works, and what it means to engage with it meaningfully. Fox brings a rare combination of academic breadth, practical wisdom, and genuine curiosity to his analysis. This book doesn’t just inform practice; it enriches the practitioner, encouraging deeper reflexivity, greater self-awareness, and a willingness to keep learning. – Samantha Hardy * Director of The Conflict Management Academy, Australia *Perspectives on Conflict provides an admirable theoretical framework and helpful definitions which integrate and celebrate different approaches to conflict. Fox weaves together ways of understanding conflict, enriched with imagery that highlights the significance and purpose of each perspective. The resulting multidisciplinary tapestry serves as a valuable resource for seasoned conflict practitioners and offers guidance and insight for anyone who wants to be more intentional about how they engage with others. – Aimee Gourlay * Senior Fellow, Dispute Resolution Institute, Mitchell Hamline School of Law; former CEO, Mediation Center for Dispute Resolution *

Kenneth H. Fox, JD, is the founding university director of conflict studies at Hamline University and the University Professor of Critical Thinking and Conflict Management. He is also a senior fellow of the Dispute Resolution Institute at Mitchell | Hamline School of Law. Fox is a Fulbright Senior Specialist grantee in Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies and worked for over a decade on a series of US State Department-funded peace-building and conflict transformation projects in the Middle East. He has served on countless state, national and international boards and committees in the mediation, negotiation, dispute resolution and conflict fields.