The Conflict Tipping Podcast

In this episode of the Conflict Tipping podcast, Laura May speaks with conflict scholar Joshua Akintayo, whose research explores how communities in Nigeria are rebuilding peace amid violent extremism. Josh’s work examines what “local peace” actually means—through both traditional mediation practices and deeply taboo issues that shape conflict and recovery. As a bonus, you'll hear some local Nigeri...

In this episode of the Conflict Tipping podcast, Laura May speaks with political neuroscientist and psychologist Dr Leor Zmigrod, author of incredible new book The Ideological Brain. Leor’s groundbreaking research explores what makes our brains susceptible to rigid beliefs, ideological extremism, and group identity—drawing from cognitive science, psychology, and neuroscience. Key Highlights: Why T...

Inside Conflict Transformation with MBBI's Prabha Sankaranarayan Host Laura May speaks with Prabha Sankaranarayan, president and CEO of Mediators Beyond Borders International, on her journey spanning child advocacy to conflict mediation. Recorded in June 2024 and including discussion of societal conflict in the United States, this episode has become even more relevant today. The episode starts wit...

In this episode of the Conflict Tipping podcast we welcome Fleur Ravensbergen, mediator, author, and co-founder of the Dialogue Advisory Group. Fleur shares stories and lessons from her work mediating violent armed conflicts in some of the world’s most challenging regions, including Northern Ireland, Iraq, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Her book Disarmed, newly available in English, provide...

In this episode of the Conflict Tipping podcast, host Laura May welcomes Dr Rachel Adams, founder and CEO of the Global Center on AI Governance and author of The New Empire of AI: The Future of Global Inequality. Rachel’s book explores how AI is reshaping global inequalities and examines its historical ties to colonialism. Together, Laura and Rachel explore the complexities of AI governance, the A...

"Making Friends Among the Taliban" with Ankur Delight In this episode of the Conflict Tipping podcast, host Laura May is joined by returning guest Ankur Delight, mediator and founder of a funk collective, to discuss Making Friends Among the Taliban by Jonathan Larson. The book tells the story of Dan Terry, a Methodist missionary who dedicated his life to development work, building relationships an...

Rwanda’s Gacaca Courts and Gender-Based Violence with Dr Judith Rafferty In this episode of the Conflict Tipping podcast, host Laura May speaks with Dr Judith Rafferty, an expert mediator and researcher, about the complex role of Rwanda’s Gacaca courts in addressing sexual violence in the aftermath of the Rwandan Genocide. Dr Rafferty draws on her extensive experience and research to explore how t...

Reframing Peace Mediation with Dr Owen Frazer: A Deep Dive into Conflict Transformation In this episode of the Conflict Tipping podcast, host Laura May engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr Owen Frazer, a seasoned conflict resolution expert and Senior Advisor for Conflict Transformation at Helvetas. Dr Frazer, with over two decades of experience and a new book titled Reframing Peace...

Innovating Peace with Stephen Gray: Embracing Inclusive and Adaptive Strategies Join host Laura May in this episode of the Conflict Tipping podcast as we explore the world of inclusive peacebuilding with Stephen Gray, Director of Adapt Peacebuilding and Doctoral Researcher at the University of Sussex. With 18 years of experience in developing non-violent solutions for conflict zones, Stephen share...

Bridging Divides: Conflict Resolution with Rob Fersh and Mariah Levison In this episode of the Conflict Tipping Podcast from Mediate.com, host Laura May interviews Rob Fersh and Mariah Levison about their work and their co-authored book, 'From Conflict to Convergence: Coming Together to Solve Tough Problems.' Rob, founder and senior advisor at Convergence, and Mariah, the president and CEO, discus...

Join special guest Ankur Delight and Laura May as we review Amanda Ripley's book, "High Conflict". Book blurb: New York Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist Amanda Ripley investigates how good people get captured by high conflict—and how they break free. Our journey begins in California, where a world-renowned conflict expert struggles to extract himself from a political feud. The...

Resilience in Adversity: Mediation and Climate Action in Malawi with Brown Masingati (Info on how to donate to Brown's work below!) Join host Laura May as she speaks with Brown Masingati, a member of Mediators Beyond Borders International. Brown talks about his roots in Malawi, the 'Warm Heart of Africa,' spotlighting his incredible work in addressing poverty, gender-based violence, and the impact...

Peace, Conflict, and the Power of Inclusion: Insights from Dr. Julia Palmiano Federer What happens if you put two mediation fangirls who also happen to be intersectional feminists together into the same conversation? This episode! Host Laura May and guest Dr. Julia Palmiano Federer dive into critical discussions on peacebuilding and conflict mediation. Highlights include: Julia's journey from Mani...

Exploring Indigenous Approaches to Peacebuilding: The Idea of Ubuntu In this episode of the Conflict Tipping podcast, host Laura May interviews Bryony Vince, a PhD candidate at the University of Sheffield in the UK and an advocate for context-specific indigenous approaches to peace-building. Bryony talks about her PhD focus on Ubuntu, a South African worldview that underscores interconnectedness a...

Power Perception and Conflict Prevention in the Black Sea Region: A Conversation with Neli Kirilova In this episode of 'Conflict Tipping Podcast', host Laura May speaks with Neli Kirilova, a researcher focused on power perception and conflict prevention in the Black Sea Region. Kirilova discusses why the Black Sea region is a nexus for conflict, largely due to cultural, religious, and linguistic d...

Strengthening Mental Health in Conflict Zones: A Conversation with Dr. Nawaraj Upadhaya In this episode of the Conflict Tipping Podcast, host Laura May interviews Dr. Nawaraj Upadhaya, Global Mental Health Director at HealthRight International. Dr. Upadhaya shares about his experience developing and implementing a WHO-associated Self-Help Plus intervention in Uganda and Sudan, targeting individual...

In the latest episode of the Conflict Tipping podcast from Mediate.com, meet Dr Louise Ridden, a specialist in nonviolence and Unarmed Civilian Protection.  We talk about: What is Unarmed Civilian Protection?  Where is it used? How does UCP 'happen' in conflicts? What is the role for mediation and mediators in UCP? False binaries in war and peace The role of peace-keeping and UCP in violent confli...

In this episode, Laura engages in a riveting conversation with Anne Ikiara, the Executive Director of the nonprofit Digital Action.  She has a remarkable background directing social enterprises in Global Majority countries and is known as an author, poet, speaker, gender consultant, and social advocate. We talk about: Lived Experience of Disinformation and Violence: Anne shares her personal connec...

Hear from Dr. Samuel Ritholtz, a Max Weber fellow at the European University Institute and specialist in queer experiences of conflict, crisis, and displacement, as they talk about their research into anti-LGBT violence during Colombia's civil war. We explore the violence's impact on LGBT communities, the dynamics of paramilitaries, and the concept of queer peacebuilding. Let's dive in! In this ep...

Laura May is joined by Dr. Patricia Cernadas Curotto, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Geneva interested in compassion, conflict resolution, inter-group relations, and emotions. Laura attempts to convince Patricia to add kite surfing to her interests as they dive into Patricia's research: 💑 How sleep deprivation affects even "perfect" relationships. 🧐 The connection between basic...

Welcome to the Conflict Tipping podcast from Mediate.com, where we explore social conflict and what to do about it. In this episode, we explore the effects of party polarization on electoral participation with Dr. Morgan Le Corre Juratic, a postdoctoral researcher at Aarhus University in Denmark. She recently completed her PhD at the European University Institute, focusing on party competition, po...

In this episode, learn about Stanford PhD candidate Luiza Almeida Santos' research into fostering empathy across political divides.  Listen if you are interested in learning more about: What empathy is (and is not) How empathy helps us - and 'them' Building common ground Carrying out conversations across divides   About Luiza: Luiza is a psychology Ph. D. candidate at Stanford University, studying...

In this episode, meet Dr Benjamin Abrams, who has just released his brand-new book about mass mobilisations called "The Rise of the Masses".  Listen if you are interested in: Why mass mobilisations such as protests happen The Black Lives Uprising, Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street, or even the French Revolution The emotions of protest How physical space can support mass mobilisations Ben's admiratio...

In this episode, Laura speaks with David Liddle, founder and CEO of the TCM Group, about his career as a dedicated mediator and 'people first' professional.  Listen if you are interested in: His early career mediating in estates in the UK Transformational culture and restorative justice in the workplace A role for mediators in broader social conflicts Redefining HR in modern organisations About Da...

In this episode, Host, Laura May, talks with guests, Dr. Solveig Richter and Laura Camila Barrios Sabogal about Colombia as a case study for how conflict behaves and how conflict transforms itself.  Topics discussed include: The role of language in the Peace Accords Security concerns Listening to local partners Psychological support Involving communities in the research and the final products Conn...