Sustained Dialogue is a process
that focuses very heavily on
relationships. As Dr. Saunders puts
it, "There are some things only governments can
do, like sign peace treaties; but there are
some things only citizens can do, like
establish true lasting peace on the
ground."
This sort of true and lasting
peace, we believe, can only happen through the
reformation of broken relationships damaged by
mistrust, misperception, and hurtful past
experiences.
What is it that REALLY lies at
the root of all the tension of our communities?
In our experience, it is a strained relationship. The
box below contains Dr. Saunders' definition of
the five components of a relationship. It
is this lens that we use to probe the problems
and conflicts that are affecting students,
faculty, staff, and administrators at schools
across the country.
RELATIONSHIP
MODEL Dr. Saunder's Concept of a Relationship defines 5 key components: 1. Identity- How individuals define their physical and human characteristics; the sum of all experiences that leads a person to the present Physical Identity: race, gender Human Identity: ethnicity, occupation, life experiences 2. Interests- What individuals want and care about; what they are willing to die for 3. Power- The capacity of individuals to control resources and influence the course of events 4. Perceptions/Misperceptions/Stereotypes- How individuals and groups view one another; assumptions about others’ identity, interests, and power 5. Patterns of Interaction- How individuals and groups interact--positively, negatively, or not at all. |