The Five Percent

Finding solutions to seemingly impossible conflicts

by Peter T. Coleman, Ph.D.

The Decade for Peace in Israel-Palestine

The status quo in Israel-Palestine is both stuck and unsustainable. Read More

President Obama’s Mixed-Motive Dilemma

Early indications seemed to suggest that President Obama would be a conflict resolution president. During his campaign for office, he pledged to bring a new tone to Washington and to make every attempt to reach across the aisle. He engaged many new stakeholders through the internet and social media, promising to hear all their concerns and work tirelessly to address them. Read More

Climate Change, Partisanship and Conflict: What’s a Weather-beaten Nation to Do?

The Mandela Doctrine: Lessons for President Obama

Our country is fickled. Progressives demand that President Obama finally stand up and fight for a jobs bill. Conservatives prefer that he quietly demur. The general public is calling for partisan compromise, while economists preach bold initiatives. Obama's political advisors are looking for quick wins to gain points in the polls, while U.S. markets clamor for long-term fiscal reform. Read More

The Mathematics of Middle East Conflict and Peace

Israel's mired peace talks, expanding settlements and renewed violence have become all too familiar. Despite the rise and fall of many Jewish and Arab leaders, dramatic changes in official policies, swings in the political will of the citizenry, and perpetual waves of pressure from the international community, these conditions have remained the status quo. Read More

Are Peacemakers Helping or Harming? Conflict Resolution and the Science-Practice Gap

Peter T. Coleman, PhD Read More

Navigating the Impossible 5 Percent at Work

Five percent work conflicts are extremely costly and demanding but they are not impossible to solve. Understanding the hidden dynamics at play with these problems and the various strategies available to tip them in constructive directions is the first step to their effective resolution. Read More

Peter T. Coleman, Ph.D., is an associate professor of psychology and education at Columbia University.

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About The Five Percent

A timely, paradigm-shifting look at conflict, The Five Percent is an invaluable guide to preventing even the most fractious negotiations from foundering.