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Thunderbird School of Global Management - Glendale, Arizona

Dr. Borris has been teaching courses in global negotiation, cross cultural communication, conflict resolution and international corporate diplomacy. Most recently Dr. Eileen R. Borris and Dr. Karen Walch have developed a course "Conflict Management and Social Change" for the Thunderbird School of Global Management. This course began in September 2008 and is an advanced course in conflict resolution highlighting conflict resolution theory and advanced mediation and negotiation skills for graduate students interested in working in the area of development and humanitarian aid.

The Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF)

"Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding" Elective Course at ICAF
Ambassador McDonald along with Dr. Eileen Borris and others developed a course "Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding" for ICAF. The course began in January 2007, the first conflict resolution course ever offered by the U.S. military at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Ten students from seven countries representing the military and State Department participated in the inaugural class. For twelve weeks they learned about various aspects of conflict, negotiation, and conflict resolution. Three guest lecturers included Dr. Brian Polkinghorn from Salisbury University; Dr. Mohammud Abu-Nimer from American University; and Major General William Nash of the Council on Foreign Relations. At the conclusion of the semester, students gave group presentations applying what they had learned to case studies of conflicts in Kosovo, Sudan, Georgia, and Kashmir. The course received very positive reviews from students. One student, a Marine colonel just back from Iraq, told Dr. Borris after her lecture on trauma healing that if he knew in Iraq what he knows now, he would have done things totally differently. Another participant declared that the course should be required, rather than an elective.

With the success of the first run, ICAF invited the team back to teach the course again and continues to be taught during the fall and spring semesters.

Dr. Borris Offers a Graduate Course in Trauma Healing, Forgiveness and Reconciliation through the Institute for
Multi-Track Diplomacy

From May 30th to June 1st IMTD Director of Training Dr. Eileen Borris along with Ambassador John W. McDonald offered 16 M.S. and Ph.D. students in conflict analysis and resolution a unique and intensive opportunity to learn about the role of trauma healing and forgiveness in the process of reconciliation. The students, from the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR) at George Mason University, took part in three days of coursework that involved traditional instruction as well as film, guest speakers, storytelling and deep personal reflection. One goal of the course was to reintroduce a human element into the academic study of conflict resolution.

Dr. Borris talked about the key concepts of the course (trauma, forgiveness, and reconciliation) and invited students to consider what these terms meant for them in their own personal lives. Personal stories were shared as illustrations of the key role trauma healing and forgiveness play in restoring societies torn apart by violence.

The perspectives of the instructors were enriched by those brought by guest speakers Dr. Douglas Johnston (President and Founder of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy), Dr. Richard Ruffin (Executive Vice President of Initiatives of Change International) and documentary film maker Mrs. Laura Waters Hinson whose film As We Forgive gave the class a vivid and inspiring glimpse into post-conflict reconciliation in Rwanda.

In evaluating the course many students expressed gratitude for the opportunity to reflect more on the human element of conflict and peacebuilding, and to explore deeply what it takes to create personal transformations that can, in turn, help transform war torn societies. IMTD is looking forward to the possibility of sharing this class again with another remarkable group of graduate students in the near future.

American University

In 2006 Dr. Borris developed a week long course at the American University, Peacebuilding Institute, in Washington, DC entitled "Reconciliation and Forgiveness in Post-Conflict Environments." The course focuses on the complex issues of forgiveness processes as it related to trauma healing and reconciliation. The class also discussed different reconciliation models including the International Criminal Court, truth and commissions, the more recent development of hybrids.

The George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

In 2003 Dr. Borris developed and delivered a Conflict Resolution Skills Training for the Democracy Building Program at the College of International and Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. The program was tailored to the particular needs of a group of 20 military and police officers from Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The program covered the dynamics of violent conflict and basic conflict resolution skills such as facilitation and mediation. In 2004 she developed and presented the module on conflict prevention and management to government officials and military officers from Europe and Eurasia and from NATO-member nations. The module focused on post conflict reconstruction and reconciliation, which included various post-conflict peacebuilding approaches including political, economic, security and social restructuring, dealing with past abuses, and national and societal reconciliation.