Beyond Intractability
@beyondintract.bsky.social
Beyond Intractability provides a window into what we collectively know about more constructive ways of handling the intractable conflicts that threaten both our relationships and our societies.
A conversation we had with computer scientist, journalist, peacebuilding, and AI expert Jonathan Stray about how AI might actually be able to help us reduce polarization and heal U.S. democracy. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
The Burgesses Talk With Jonathan Stray on Journalism, AI, and U.S. Democracy
Newsletter 408 - December 10, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM
A conversation we had with computer scientist, journalist, peacebuilding, and AI expert Jonathan Stray about how AI might actually be able to help us reduce polarization and heal U.S. democracy. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
A list of "visioning" questions that need to be addressed as we try to imagine a democracy in which people on all sides of the political divide would like to live (and work toward). beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Stipulating the Terms of the Grand Bargain: Things to Think About and Work Toward
Newsletter 407 -December 8, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 5:01 PM
A list of "visioning" questions that need to be addressed as we try to imagine a democracy in which people on all sides of the political divide would like to live (and work toward). beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
This "Big Picture" post explains why "massively parallel" action -- in peacebuilding, problem solving, democracy building, and civic renewal is the best way to deal with the staggering complexity and scale of society-wide conflicts. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
The Massively Parallel Approach — the Key to Dealing with Scale and Complexity
Newsletter 406 - December 6, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 10:24 PM
This "Big Picture" post explains why "massively parallel" action -- in peacebuilding, problem solving, democracy building, and civic renewal is the best way to deal with the staggering complexity and scale of society-wide conflicts. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
A new collection of links to news and opinion articles and organizations that are, in various ways, contributing to the massively parallel effort to help us understand and more constructively handle intractable conflict. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Colleague, News, and Opinion Links for the Week of November 30, 2025
Newsletter #405 - December 3, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
December 3, 2025 at 5:50 PM
A new collection of links to news and opinion articles and organizations that are, in various ways, contributing to the massively parallel effort to help us understand and more constructively handle intractable conflict. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
A remembrance of the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service, reflecting on its important work and what is being lost with its closure. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
CRS Did the Impossible. Now It Is Gone. Can Anyone Else Fill Its Shoes?
Newsletter 404 - December 1, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
December 2, 2025 at 10:11 PM
A remembrance of the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service, reflecting on its important work and what is being lost with its closure. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Thoughts on how to have good holiday conversations, not angry ones. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Thoughts about Thanksgiving and Holiday Conversations
Newsletter 403 - November 25, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Thoughts on how to have good holiday conversations, not angry ones. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
A new collection of links to news and opinion articles and organizations that are, in various ways, contributing to the massively parallel effort to help us understand and more constructively handle intractable conflict. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/cnewslette...
Colleague, News, and Opinion Links for the Week of November 16, 2025
Newsletter #402 - November 22, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:53 PM
A new collection of links to news and opinion articles and organizations that are, in various ways, contributing to the massively parallel effort to help us understand and more constructively handle intractable conflict. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/cnewslette...
The second in a series of posts on decoupling partisan politics from "saving democracy." This one highlights several programs where this is already being done, proving that such decoupling is, indeed possible, and beneficial. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Decoupling the Defense of Democracy from Partisan Politics - Part 2
Newsletter 401 - November 19, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:04 AM
The second in a series of posts on decoupling partisan politics from "saving democracy." This one highlights several programs where this is already being done, proving that such decoupling is, indeed possible, and beneficial. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
In his Better Conflict Bulletin, Jonathan Stray asks his readers how to stop our serious democratic backsliding. We respond that decoupling partisan politics from "saving democracy" is key. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Decoupling the Defense of Democracy from Partisan Politics
Newsletter 400 - November 15, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:03 AM
In his Better Conflict Bulletin, Jonathan Stray asks his readers how to stop our serious democratic backsliding. We respond that decoupling partisan politics from "saving democracy" is key. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
A new collection of links to news and opinion articles and organizations that are, in various ways, contributing to the massively parallel effort to help us understand and more constructively handle intractable conflict. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Colleague, News, and Opinion Links for the Week of November 9, 2025
Newsletter #399 - November 10, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:23 PM
A new collection of links to news and opinion articles and organizations that are, in various ways, contributing to the massively parallel effort to help us understand and more constructively handle intractable conflict. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
An explanation of how scale and complexity makes conflict even more intractable and an introduction to what we see is the best strategy for addressing this problem. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Making Democracy for All Work At the Scale and Complexity of Modern Society
Newsletter 398 - November 5, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:40 PM
An explanation of how scale and complexity makes conflict even more intractable and an introduction to what we see is the best strategy for addressing this problem. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Longtime Israeli/Palestinian peacebuilder talks about living in Israel during the war, some causes and outcomes of the war, and what she hopes for now. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Julia Chaitin Responds to Jay Rothman about the "End" of the Israeli/Hamas War
Newsletter 397 - November 2, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Longtime Israeli/Palestinian peacebuilder talks about living in Israel during the war, some causes and outcomes of the war, and what she hopes for now. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
A new collection of links to news and opinion articles and organizations that are, in various ways, contributing to the massively parallel effort to help us understand and more constructively handle intractable conflict. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Colleague, News, and Opinion Links for the Week of October 26, 2025
Newsletter #396 - October 29, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
October 29, 2025 at 3:34 PM
A new collection of links to news and opinion articles and organizations that are, in various ways, contributing to the massively parallel effort to help us understand and more constructively handle intractable conflict. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Constructive confrontation takes the lessons from conflict resolution and peacebuilding and applies them to advocacy. The result is a strategy that is less likely to provoke backlash, and hence is more likely to succeed. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Constructive Confrontation: The Key to Making the Grand democratic Bargain Work
Newsletter 395 - October 26, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
October 26, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Constructive confrontation takes the lessons from conflict resolution and peacebuilding and applies them to advocacy. The result is a strategy that is less likely to provoke backlash, and hence is more likely to succeed. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
If we are going to succeed at the Great Reframing, we need to reclaim our "information agency" and alter our business-as-usual information feeds. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Adapting Information Feeds to Support the Great Reframing
Newsletter 394 - October 22, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:33 PM
If we are going to succeed at the Great Reframing, we need to reclaim our "information agency" and alter our business-as-usual information feeds. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
A new collection of links to news and opinion articles and organizations that are, in various ways, contributing to the massively parallel effort to help us understand and more constructively handle intractable conflict. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Colleague, News, and Opinion Links for the Week of October 19, 2025
Newsletter #393 - October 19, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
October 20, 2025 at 3:01 PM
A new collection of links to news and opinion articles and organizations that are, in various ways, contributing to the massively parallel effort to help us understand and more constructively handle intractable conflict. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Jay Rothman explains why he has been quiet for two years, and why he is emerging now. He also issues a call to all peacebuilders to rise to this important moment for the Middle East and the world. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Jay Rothman: Re-engaging: A Letter to Fellow Peacebuilders
Newsletter 392 - October 15, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
October 17, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Jay Rothman explains why he has been quiet for two years, and why he is emerging now. He also issues a call to all peacebuilders to rise to this important moment for the Middle East and the world. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Those working to save democracy must decide whether they want to work toward the Grand democratic Bargain, or if they want to continue to try to overpower the other side. The first will actually help save democracy. The latter, likely, will not. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Partisan, Power-Over Democracy vs. a Power-With Democracy for All
Newsletter 391 - October 12, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
October 17, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Those working to save democracy must decide whether they want to work toward the Grand democratic Bargain, or if they want to continue to try to overpower the other side. The first will actually help save democracy. The latter, likely, will not. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
A new collection of links to news and opinion articles and organizations that are, in various ways, contributing to the massively parallel effort to help us understand and more constructively handle intractable conflict. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
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Colleague, News, and Opinion Links for the Week of October 5, 2025
Newsletter #390 - October 7, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
October 7, 2025 at 10:57 PM
A new collection of links to news and opinion articles and organizations that are, in various ways, contributing to the massively parallel effort to help us understand and more constructively handle intractable conflict. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
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A second "Big Picture" essay, this one explaining why democracy is worth defending by looking at the systems it is designed to replace. While no democracies are perfect, they are clearly better than their dystopian alternatives. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
The Grand democratic Bargain — Humanity's Best Defense Against "I'll Fight You for It" Rules
Newsletter 389 - October 3, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
October 7, 2025 at 10:57 PM
A second "Big Picture" essay, this one explaining why democracy is worth defending by looking at the systems it is designed to replace. While no democracies are perfect, they are clearly better than their dystopian alternatives. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter... Twelve Bridging and Civic Health Organizations reflect on the implications of Charlie Kirk's murder, and how we can turn America's increasing political violence and polarization around.
Reflections on Braver Angels' Dignity Over Violence Convening
Newsletter 388 - September 30 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
October 3, 2025 at 2:37 PM
beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter... Twelve Bridging and Civic Health Organizations reflect on the implications of Charlie Kirk's murder, and how we can turn America's increasing political violence and polarization around.
A new collection of links to news and opinion articles and organizations that are, in various ways, contributing to the massively parallel effort to help us understand and more constructively handle intractable conflict. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Colleague, News, and Opinion Links for the Week of September 21, 2025
Newsletter #387 - September 2, 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
September 27, 2025 at 2:44 PM
A new collection of links to news and opinion articles and organizations that are, in various ways, contributing to the massively parallel effort to help us understand and more constructively handle intractable conflict. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Jonathan Stray explains why we still need to build bridges to "the other side," even if we think they are doing terrible things. It is the only way for those who want to protect democracy to "win" that fight. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
Jonathan Stray: Why Build Bridges when Democracy is Burning?
Newsletter 386 - September 24 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
September 24, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Jonathan Stray explains why we still need to build bridges to "the other side," even if we think they are doing terrible things. It is the only way for those who want to protect democracy to "win" that fight. beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
If we want to get out of the trouble we are in as a society, we need to realize that the "enemy" is not "the others." It is the destructive way in which we deal with "the others." beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
The Great Reframing: What It Is and Why It Is Essential
Newsletter 385 - September 18 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
September 21, 2025 at 9:34 PM
If we want to get out of the trouble we are in as a society, we need to realize that the "enemy" is not "the others." It is the destructive way in which we deal with "the others." beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
An initial report on why and how BI is starting to experiment with AI. We'll know more over time, but the initial experiments are intriguing! beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...
A Beyond Intractability GPT?
Newsletter 384 - September 15 2025
beyondintractability.substack.com
September 15, 2025 at 1:53 PM
An initial report on why and how BI is starting to experiment with AI. We'll know more over time, but the initial experiments are intriguing! beyondintractability.substack.com/p/newsletter...