Dr. Douglas Fry has spent over 40 years studying humanity through an anthropological and cross-cultural indigenous lens. His books — The Human Potential for Peace, Beyond War, and Nurturing Our Humanity — confidently dispel the pervasive myth that our dominant nature is war-like, offering profound insight into what we are capable of as a deeply collaborative and inventive species.

Dr. Fry is Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Docent of Cross-Cultural Developmental Psychology at Åbo Akademi University in Finland, and Adjunct Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University's Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity.

In this episode, Douglas gives us a sneak peek into his forthcoming book, Advanced Introduction to Conflict Resolution, available everywhere books are sold.

In this episode:

• Why our capacity for restraint and reconciliation is as human as our capacity for violence
• The difference between ”peace as the absence of war” and positive peace
• The EU as a modern peace system — and what it teaches us about cooperation
• How media war narratives distort our perception of human nature
• Indigenous wisdom on conflict resolution and community harmony
• What leadership looks like when mediation is the model

Timestamps:00:00 Podcast Welcome

02:42 A Childhood Fight Lesson

04:10 Creative Calm in Conflict

05:41 Vietnam Draft and Conscience

07:40 Anthropology Beyond War Myths

11:28 Europe Union as Peace Model

16:59 Positive Peace and Flourishing

19:53 Equality Principle in Peacebuilding

22:26 Reconciliation After Conflict

24:03 Restraint Over Violence

27:25 Hope Through Reciprocity

30:55 Media Militarism Narratives

33:03 Indigenous Conflict Wisdom

38:11 Interdependence And Costs

41:31 Book Wrap And Final Hope