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From Identity-Based Conflict to Identity-Based Cooperation:
The ARIA Approach in Theory and Practice
Edited by Jay Rothman and published by Springer, New York, 2012.
In his recent book, Jay Rothman writes poetically and with heartfelt passion for
the work of intergroup dialogue as a mechanism for reconciliation between
individuals and groups. This text shares his approach to conflict engagement (as opposed to Conflict
Resolution) and identity-based cooperation. While Rothman’s ideas and writing take center stage in this
edited volume, he teams up with additional contributors and co-authors to present the ARIA model and
then illustrate how it has worked in various real-life cases.
ARIA stands for the steps of Rothman’s well-known process: Antagonism, in which the dialogue
participants share their experiences in the conflict; Resonance, in which participants discuss the reasons
why the conflict is so important to each identity group; Invention, in which participants collaborate to
seek integrative solutions; and Action, in which the participants jointly plan mechanisms designed to
keep the process of creative problem-solving going.
In his analysis of conflict dynamics and typologies Rothman uses the analogy of an iceberg in which the
visible part, above the waterline, commonly involves resource-based conflicts over land, water rights, or
even the corner office. Yet like icebergs, most of the conflict remains harder to see yet quite
treacherous---particularly ‘objective-based’ and ‘identity-based’ conflicts. In this conceptualization,
identity-based conflicts underlie many conflicts that initially seem to be about resources or objectives.
In this work, much of Rothman’s previous ideas are brought together ‘under one roof’, so to speak,
while allowing Rothman and his colleagues to add crucial layers of reflection and analysis about how to
use these models to lead dialogue and decision-making processes. The case studies allow readers to see
how the model has been used around the world while sharing tools for evaluation.
This text is likely to be of interest to graduate students, faculty and practitioners of intergroup dialogue
processes, yet it has value for anyone who facilitates or mediates difficult conversations between
individuals or groups.
Review by:
Susan S. Raines, Ph.D.
Professor of Conflict Management at Kennesaw State University