Kenneth Cloke, Into the Heart of Conflict: A Guide to Resolution, Transformation, and Transcendence (2005) Annotated Table of Contents Introduction: The Crossroads of Conflict: A context is set for the book by describing the crossroads in every conflict leading either to adversarial or collaborative solutions. Section I: Impasse, Evolution, Ego, and Rhythm 1. Why We Get Stuck in Conflict: An examination of the deeper reasons we become stuck in conflict, why our conflicts draw us into vicious circles, and a breakdown of the essential elements or ingredients in every conflict. Blinded by Conflict – A Case Study 2. The Evolution of Conflict and Resolution: A description of how we evolve over our lifetimes and experience different kinds of conflict, the methods of resolution we are able to use at each level, and the dimensions and levels of resolution that are possible for us to achieve. Partnership in Decay -- A Case Study 3. Who, Exactly, is in Conflict? A consideration of the role played by ego in conflict, including manipulation versus involvement, ways of responding to poor self-esteem, and how our identities shift as a result of conflict. Laboring Over Values – A Case Study 4. The Vibrations of Conflict: A development of music as a metaphor for conflict, including its vibrational and wave-like qualities, how we attribute meaning to what others do and say, and how we can stop the “tango” and orchestrate our communications to a different tune. No More Teachers Dirty Comments – A Case Study Section II: Resolution, Transformation, and Transcendence 5. Conflict as a Spiritual Crisis: A differentiation between price and value in conflict, an effort to define spirit so it can be used as a practical tool in conflict conversations, and an examination of how people in indigenous cultures approach and resolve conflict. Weeding Out Conflict – A Case Study
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Opening the Heart of Conflict: A clarification of the nature of heart in conflict, what it means to communicate and connect with the heart, and ten steps we can take to open our own hearts, set the stage for heartfelt conversations, and initiate them with the right intention. Setting the Stage for Negotiations -- A Case Study
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Transforming Conflict Stories: A close look at how and why people tell stories about their conflicts, specific interventions we can use to transform conflict stories, and techniques for creating a third story that neither demonizes others nor victimizes ourselves. No Chance For Resolution – A Case Study
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Ten Paths to Transcendence: Ten paths we can take to transcend our conflicts, listen with an open heart, find the center of our dispute, shift angry conflict conversations toward forgiveness and reconciliation, and turn conflicts into sources of wisdom. The Language of Conflict - A Case Study
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Designing Rituals of Release, Completion, and Closure: A distinction between ending, completion and closure, and between power, rights, and interests, and the delineation of a set of instructions on how to design rituals of release, completion, and closure, particularly for people with unresolved grief, and reach forgiveness and reconciliation. The Door to Closure - A Case Study Section III. Society, Politics, and Theory
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The Sources of Social Conflict: A dissection of the systemic context of conflict, the chronic and meta-sources of conflict, and the symbiosis of personal and social conflict, and an examination of how attitudes toward conflict are reflected in divergent approaches to change, resulting in diverse forms of community, and how to build interest-based societies. Washing Our Sins – A Case Study
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Mediating Evil, War, and Terrorism: A discussion of our responses to September 11, the role of good and evil in conflict, how global conflicts in Iraq and the Middle East might benefit from conflict resolution, how conflict distorts language, why peace requires justice, and how to use interest-based design principles to prevent conflicts. Resolving Political Conflicts – A Case Study
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Toward a Unified Theory of Conflict Resolution: A summary and theory of conflict resolution based on the main ideas in the book, including the reasons why such a theory is necessary, and the use of scientific ideas such as chaos, criticality, entropy, symmetry, and fields as metaphors to suggest a simple, unified theoretical framework for understanding conflict resolution. Closing Thoughts