We can halve most forms of violence by 2030. Here's how.

A second step is to determine where violence concentrates and who is most at risk.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Violence has always been one of humanity's most serious global challenges. This is because for most of history, we were natural born killers.

Keep reading Show less
sexual violence nonviolence war global issues peace violence

How did a 100-year-old vision of global politics shape our future?

In 1919, Woodrow Wilson attempted to rally the U.S. behind the League of Nations. His failure suggested the way forward.

Photo by ullstein bild Dtl. / Getty Images
  • America in 1919 was as divided as America in 2019. When President Woodrow Wilson introduced his vision for the League of Nations following World War I, he was met with criticism.
  • With his reluctance to negotiate the functions of the League, Wilson failed to rally enough support.
  • Whatever Wilson and the League's flaws, he revealed a path to new possibilities in global cooperation.
Keep reading Show less
united states foreign policy peace war history global issues

To overthrow a tyrant, try the 3.5 Percent Solution

A study of 323 uprisings against repressive regimes yields stunning insights.

  • No democracy movement has ever failed when it was able to mobilize at least 3.5 percent of the population to protest over a sustained period
  • At that scale, most soldiers have no desire to suppress protesters. Why? Because the crowd includes their family members, friends, coworkers, and neighbors.
  • With a population of 327 million, the U.S. would need to mobilize about 11.5 million people to assert popular, democratic power on the government. Could that happen?
Keep reading Show less
democracy government politics activism corruption peace protests social change

The biggest threat to America? Americans.

Pulitzer Prize-winner Jared Diamond explains why some nations make it through epic crises and why others fail.

  • "A country is not going to resolve a national crisis unless it acknowledges that it's in a crisis," says Jared Diamond. "If you don't, you're going to get nowhere. Many Americans still don't recognize today that the United States is descending into a crisis."
  • The U.S. tends to focus on "bad countries" like China, Canada and Mexico as the root of its problems, however Diamond points out the missing piece: Americans are generating their own problems.
  • The crisis the U.S. is experiencing is not cause for despair. The U.S. has survived many tragedies, such as the War of Independence and the Great Depression – history is proof that the U.S. can get through this current crisis too.
Keep reading Show less
united states politics democracy peace society personal growth collaboration failure

Understanding what tolerance means in a highly polarized America

Changing people's minds isn't how we end polarization. Tolerance is the gateway to peaceful coexistence.

  • The goal of tolerance is not for everyone to arrive at a consensus on divisive issues, or to accept each other's views. Sarah Ruger suggests that tolerance is learning how to coexist peacefully through difference.
  • Tolerance is a word with a lot of baggage, but tolerance is not patronizing or insulting; it is a starting point for something better.
  • Peaceful coexistence and a focus on common goals enables people of all convictions to work towards positive social ends like innovation, social progress, and the defense of equal rights.
Keep reading Show less
collaboration politics united states communication social change peace society speech debate personal growth community