Many conflicts on the international scene today involve extremist groups that employ violence to achieve their goals.   But should states and international bodies engage entities such as the Taliban, Hamas, and Hezbollah, and if so, which ones, when, and how?

Many conflicts on the international scene today involve extremist groups that employ violence to achieve their goals.   But should states and international bodies engage entities such as the Taliban, Hamas, and Hezbollah, and if so, which ones, when, and how?  These questions are among the most politically fraught and vexing challenges facing international negotiators and mediators. 

This event featured a discussion of two recent USIP Press publications, "Engaging Extremists: Trade-offs, Timing, and Diplomacy," edited by I. William Zartman and Guy Olivier Faure (USIP Press, 2011), and "Talking to Groups That Use Terror," by Nigel Quinney and A. Heather Coyne-the latest publication in the Institute's Peacemaker's Toolkit series.   The Institute  also be acknowledeged Professor Zartman's extraordinary contributions to building the conflict resolution field.

Speakers

  • I. William Zartman
    Professor Emeritus, The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, John Hopkins University
  • Teresa Whitfield
    Senior Advisor, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, and Senior Fellow,  Center for International Cooperation, New York University
  • Ambassador Luigi R. Einaudi
    Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University
  • Virginia Bouvier, Moderator
    Senior Program Officer, Centers of Innovation, U.S. Institute of Peace
  • Steve Riskin, Introductions
    Senior Program Officer, Grant Program, U.S. Institute of Peace
  • Chester A. Crocker, Special Presentation
    James R. Schlesinger Professor of Strategic Studies, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University and U.S. Institute of Peace board member

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