SCHOOL of INTERNATIONAL SERVICE

American University · Washington, D.C.

FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES -- Ronald Fisher

Ronald Fisher
Clark Hall 201
Office: (202) 885-1547
E-mail: rfisher@american.edu
Website
PhD, University of Michigan
BA, MA, University of Saskatchewan

Biography

Dr. Ron Fisher is Professor of International Relations in the Division of International Peace and Conflict Resolution in the School of International Service at American University. He was the Founding Coordinator of the Applied Social Psychology Graduate Program at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, and has taught at a number of universities in Canada, the United States, and Europe in peace studies and conflict resolution. Dr. Fisher's primary interest focuses on interactive conflict resolution, which involves informal, third party interventions in protracted and violent ethno-political conflict. He has worked on the longstanding dispute in Cyprus and similar conflicts in other parts of the world.

Teaching Interests

• Approaches to Peace
• Conflict Analysis and Resolution
• Interactive Conflict Resolution
• Third Party Intervention
• Intergroup Relations
• Social Psychology of International Relations
• Program Evaluation
• Methods of Consultation
• Peace and Conflict Studies

Recent Courses Taught

• Introduction to International Peace and Conflict Resolution (SIS 308.001 Spring 2005)
• Applied Conflict Analysis and Resolution (SIS 603.N09 Summer 2005)
• Applied Conflict Resolution (SIS 519.001 Fall 2005)
• International Mediation and Problem Solving (SIS 596.002 Fall 2005)
• Conflict Analysis and Resolution (SIS 609.001 Spring 2006)
• Peace Paradigms (SIS 607.001 Spring 2006)

Publications (Selected)

BOOKS

• Paving the Way: Contributions of Interactive Conflict Resolution to Peacemaking (Lexington Books, 2005)
• Interactive Conflict Resolution (Syracuse University Press, 1997)
• The Social Psychology of Intergroup and International Conflict Resolution (Springer-Verlag, 1990) 

JOURNALS

In addition to numerous chapters in edited collections, Dr. Fisher has published in many of the leading interdisciplinary journals in the IPCR field, including Peace and Change, Journal of Peace Research, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Negotiation Journal, Journal of Social Issues, International Negotiation, International Journal of Conflict Management, and Political Psychology.

• R.J. Fisher, 2001. "Cyprus: The Failure of Mediation and the Escalation of an Identity-Based Conflict to an Adversarial Impasse" Journal of Peace Research, 307-326
  
• R.J. Fisher and L. Keashly, 1991.  "The Potential Complimentary of Mediation and Consultation within a Contingency Model of Third Party Intervention" Journal of Peace Research, pp. 28-42.

WORKSHOP PAPERS

• Fisher, Ronald. "Resolving Interpersonal Conflict" (c. 1977, Rev. 1985, 2000).
• Fisher, Ronald. "Sources of Conflict and Methods of Resolution"  (c. 1977, Rev. 1985, 2000).
• Fisher, Ronald. "Third Party Consultation" (c 1978 Rev. 1992, 2004)

Professional Practice (Selected)

As a practitioner, Dr. Fisher has thirty years experience as a trainer and consultant in the areas of conflict analysis and management, communication skills, small group processes and team building, providing services to a wide range of public and human service organizations. At the international level, Dr. Fisher has provided workshop design and training expertise in conflict resolution to several international institutes which organize workshops for diplomats, NGO staff, military personnel and citizen peacebuilders from a wide range of countries.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION TRAINING

• Austrian Study Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Stadtschlaining.
• Canadian International Institute of Applied Negotiation, Ottawa, ON.
• Center for Global Peace, American University, Washington, DC.
• Conflict Management Group, Cambridge, MA.
• Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France.
• Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy, Washington, DC.
• Institute for World Affairs, Washington, DC.
• United Nations Institute for Training and Research, Geneva.

CURRENT PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENTS

• United States Institute of Peace, Washington, DC.
• Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, DC.
• Beyond Intractibility
• Alliance for Peacebuilding

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• American Psychological Association, 1977-
• Canadian Psychological Association, 1976
• Canadian Peace Research and Education Association, 1980-
• Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research, 1979-89
•  Psychologists for Social Responsibility, 1997-
• International Peace Research Association, 1985-
• International Studies Association, 2000-
• International Association for Conflict Management, 1986-
• International Society of Political Psychology, 1986- 
  
• The Network for Conflict Resolution, 1986-
• Canadian Institute of International Affairs, 1986-93
• Peace Science Society, 1987-96
• United Nations Association in Canada, 1985-2001

EDITORIAL AND ADVISORY BOARDS

• Advisory Board, Occasional Papers Series, Canadian Institute of International Peace and Security, 1988-92
• International Advisory Board, Project on Pre-negotiation, Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1988-90
• International Advisory Board, Negotiation Journal, 1987-90
• Editorial Board, Journal of Social Psychology, 1981-2000
• Editorial Board, Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 1990-2002
• Editorial Board, Peace and Conflict Studies, 2001-

AWARDS (Selected)

• Fellows of the Canadian Psychological Association, 2006
  

• Fellow of the American Psychological Association, 2004

• Morton Deutsch Conflict Resolution Award, American Psychological Association, Peace Psychology Division, 2003
• Outstanding Contribution Award, American Psychological Association, Peace Psychology Division, 2001
  
• Professor Emeritus of Psychology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, 2001
• Research Fellowship, Canadian Institute for International Peace and Security, 1989-90

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