The Divided Community Project at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law synthesizes insights for collaborative approaches to community division, provides counsel to local leaders based on these insights, and helps local leaders translate these principles into practice in local communities throughout the nation. This publication is the Project’s fourth report and comes out as the Project also launches its website on the American Spirit. The Project has posted its publications on its website. You may duplicate them without charge if you attribute the source, use them for non-profit purposes, and share the documents on the same basis with others.
The Kettering Foundation’s willingness to join in this initiative made it possible. The Ohio State University, especially the Institute for Democracy Engagement and Accountability, the Emeritus Academy, and the Moritz College of Law, provided key assistance to this initiative. The JAMS Foundation and the Littlefield Foundation provide basic support for the Divided Community Project, which launched this initiative.
The ten law student co-authors of this document were part of the Dispute Resolution Certificate program at the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. Some researched national and community spirits and group process, and conducted interviews. Others facilitated small group sessions, analyzed the results, worked with Nancy Rogers and Susan Carpenter to develop preparation and processes to make possible the successful plans for the American Spirit meeting in November, 2018, and helped to co-facilitate that meeting. They then reflected on what worked and did not, and drafted this report.
Throughout, the members of the Divided Community Project’s Steering Committee advised on the initiative and helped with facilitation and editing this guide. Susan Carpenter was the primary facilitator for the American Spirit meeting. Co-facilitators included Grande Lum, Josh Stulberg, Nancy Rogers, Bill Froehlich, Chris Carlson, Michael Lewis, Craig McEwen, Sarah Rubin, Andrew Thomas, and the Project’s director, Becky Monroe. Allyson Hennelly of Moritz provided logistical and office assistance throughout this initiative and Moritz Dean Alan Michaels provided support. People from across the nation accepted the invitation to become part of this collaborative effort.
We are grateful to all of these individuals and institutions.
The Divided Community Project
March 31, 2019