Virginia Swain is the host of Imagine Worcester and the World, your source for local and global interviews with peacemakers around the world. Virginia Swain is the host of Imagine Worcester and the World, your source for local and global interviews with peacemakers around the world. Virginia's guest is Dr Donna Perry. Dr. Perry is a Nurse Scientist, Professional Development Manager and Associate Director of the Thomas S. Durant Fellowship for Refugee Medicine in the Global Nursing Education and Consultation area of Massachusetts General Hospital. She conducts research using an emerging theory called transcendent pluralism -- how relationships between diverse peoples can be improved as as part of a historic moral evolution. Transcendent pluralism is defined as, "the evolution of the human spirit within mutually transformative relationships between diverse peoples leading to a loving human community through the development of human dignity" (Perry, 2008, p. 56) . In 2007 Donna learned about the Israeli-Palestinian peace group, Combatants for Peace, which was founded by individuals who had been involved in the violence on either side of the conflict but who have now renounced violence and are working together for a peaceful two-state solution. She conducted a research study with members of this group using in-depth interviews to better understand their experiences in the conflict and how they made the decisions to adopt nonviolence and join the group. The results of the study are reported in her book published in 2011, The Israeli-Palestinian Peace Movement: Combatants for Peace. http://us.macmillan.com/theisraelipalestinianpeacemovement/DonnaPerry
Posted April 11th 2012 5:50pm.