Douglas Noll (MA '01) published Elusive Peace: How Modern Diplomatic Strategies Could Better Resolve World Conflicts with Prometheus Books in April. The signing will be from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Friday, September 9, in BC Lounge on the FPU main campus, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave., Fresno, at the intersection of Chestnut and Butler. The FPU Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies is hosting the event with the San Joaquin College of Law.
In the book, Noll argues the key failure in current diplomatic efforts is the entrenched belief that nations, through their representatives, will act rationally to further their political, economic and strategic interests, while research indicates emotional and irrational factors often have as much, if not more, to do with the success or failure of a mediated solution. For Noll, building trust and creating a climate of empathy is the key to successful negotiation.
A former attorney, Noll is a professional mediator based in Clovis (nollassociates.com). Voted one of the best lawyers in America by BestLawyers.com, he hosts of The Doug Noll Show, an Internet radio show streamed Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. Pacific on wsRadio.com and is a nationally recognized author, speaker, trainer and lecturer on mediation, peacemaking, ethics and leadership. His other publications include Sex, Politics and Religion at the Office (with John F. Boogaert); "The Neuropsychology of Conflict," chapter 3 in The Psychology of Resolving Global Conflicts, edited by M. Fitzduff and C.E. Stout; and Peacemaking: Practicing at the Intersection of Law and Human Conflict.
Elusive Peaceis available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.