“It is increasingly clear that traditional military and diplomatic methods for resolving global conflicts cannot work. In Elusive Peace, Douglas Noll not only shows us why, with explanations ranging from neuropsychology to philosophy and political analysis, he points us to morally meaningful solutions. This is a compelling, exciting, eye-opening read that will make you think, and think again.”
—Kenneth Cloke, president of Mediators Beyond Borders, author of Conflict Revolution: Mediating Evil, War, Injustice, and Terrorism
According to Douglas E. Noll, distinguished international mediator and author of Elusive Peace: How Modern Diplomatic Strategies Could Better Resolve World Conflicts, the diplomats and negotiators of today are ill-equipped to succeed at the negotiating table, primarily because they are trying to solve 21st century policy problems using outdated 18th century negotiation models. With standard operating procedure at a huge disadvantage, even world-renowned diplomats like Hillary Clinton, Kofi Annan and Condoleeza Rice are doomed to fail.
In his groundbreaking book Elusive Peace, Noll shows, in case study after case study, how the standard models used by the UN and participating countries are systemically set up for failure because they fail to utilize modern mediation techniques. It takes a critical look at peace negotiations through the eyes of a professional mediator; exposing the problems experienced by today’s high-profile peace negotiators, and the fundamental (and irretrievably huge) errors that they are making in the face of them; in many cases, making already-bad situations worse.
More than a just a critical analysis, Elusive Peace also outlines how the errors can and should be corrected; making it possible for concerned readers in all walks of life to learn peacemaking principles, and even implement them in their lives and communities. In this way, Noll seeks to spark a national conversation, and hopefully the beginnings of a movement, and help begin the paradigm-change necessary to bring about an elusive world peace.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Douglas E. Noll, JD, MA, lawyer turned peacemaker, is a professional mediator, specializing in difficult, complex, and intractable conflicts. He has been voted as one of the Best Lawyers in America since 2005 by bestlawyers.com for his work in conflict resolution and mediation. Noll is AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell, given to the top 1 percent of the lawyers in the United States and is a nationally recognized author, speaker, trainer, and lecturer on the topics of mediation, peacemaking, ethics, and leadership. Mr. Noll is also the author of Sex, Politics, and Religion at the Office (coauthored with John Boogaert); “The Neuropsychology of Conflict,” chapter 3 in The Psychology of Resolving Global Conflicts, edited by M. Fitzduff and C.E. Stout; and Peacemaking: Practicing at the Intersection of Law and Human Conflict.
Elusive Peace: Strategies to Resolve 21st Century World Conflict
By Douglas E. Noll
Prometheus Books Publishing, Inc.
May, 2011