Opening Plenary
Thursday, April 19th
8:30 – 9:45 am
The Annual Frank Sander Lecture
The Challenge of Partnerism: Finding Negotiation Counterparts in “Low-to-No Trust” Environments and Loose-Knit Groups
Moty Cristal
Moty Cristal, an experienced Israeli crisis negotiator, will use his practical experience in high stakes negotiations to frame some of the most sophisticated conceptual challenges negotiators and mediators are currently facing. Building on recent theories about negotiating when the “devil” (such as a terrorist organization) is the only counterpart, Mr. Cristal will discuss creating successful negotiation processes in "low-to-no trust" environments to create settings where a deal can emerge. But there still may be another challenge independent of the negotiation environment - the counterpart may be a fast-changing and loosely organized social network (such as Occupy Wall Street or the Tea Party) where identifying the relevant negotiating partner can be as difficult as the substance of the negotiation itself. Navigating these situations is challenging even for the most experienced negotiators, and Mr. Cristal will speak to strategies that have worked in his practice and how dispute resolution practitioners can apply them in their work.
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Friday Morning Plenary
Friday, April 20th
8:30 – 9:45 am
The Interrupters: A conversation with Cobe Williams
Here is a unique opportunity to delve into the subject of urban violence and conflict prevention through a conversation with Alex Kotlowitz (producer of the documentary The Interrupters and author of the book There Are No Children Here) and Cobe Williams, one of the documentary’s featured violence interrupters from the organization Cease Fire. Cobe and Alex will show clips from the award winning documentary The Interrupters, offering further insight from their unique perspective as well as answer audience members’ questions.
The Interrupters, a film by Steve James (Hoop Dreams) and Alex Kotlowitz (There are No Children Here), tells the moving and surprising story of three dedicated individuals who try to protect their Chicago communities from the violence they themselves once employed. These violence interrupters – who have credibility on the street because of their own personal histories – intervene in conflicts before the incidents explode into violence. Their work and their insights are informed by their own journeys, which, as each of them point out, defy easy characterization.
Sold out tickets, standing room only? If you haven’t seen the film, here is your chance: The documentary will air on PBS, February 14th (check your local listing for times).
Trailer of the film: www.theinterrupters.com/trailer
