The Neutrality Trap. Bernard S. Mayer

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      “The combination of theory, relevant personal reflection, and practical strategies make The Neutrality Trap a valuable resource for any practitioner serious about disrupting structural racism.”

      —Cheryl L. Jamison, J.D., Former Executive Director, Association for Conflict Resolution

      “In The Neutrality Trap, Font‐Guzmán and Mayer make the simple yet powerful point that neutrality–the North Star of dispute resolution processes–might serve more as an impediment than as an agent of social change. Having struck a heavy blow to the dispute resolution edifice, Font‐Guzmán and Mayer help us rebuild it by guiding us on how to avoid the neutrality trap, engage in meaningful dialogue, and prepare to endure conflict. An important and timely contribution to the field.”

      —Rafael Gely, J.D., Ph.D., James E. Campbell Missouri Endowed Professor of Law, University of Missouri School of Law

      “If you are a conflict resolution practitioner considering this book, you probably already know (or suspect) that insisting on neutrality in the face of systemic conflicts and prolonged injustices can do more harm than good. Bernie Mayer and Jackie Font‐Guzmán move the conversation beyond a critique of neutrality. Drawing on their practical experiences, they offer an engaging, thought‐provoking, and inspiring exploration of the ways we can use conflict resolution practices to engage enduring conflicts that require transformation rather than settlement.”

      —Jayne Seminare Docherty, Executive Director of the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at EMU

      “The Neutrality Trap brings clarity and hope to the dilemma so many of us mediators face these days: How to reconcile our commitment to peacemaking when our hearts are pulling us toward the social justice movements' cries for disruption. With wisdom and compassion Font‐Guzmán and Mayer share their own experiences–professional and personal–to give us a framework for understanding today's polarization and a road map for moving forward. They model the honesty and vulnerability we all need to function in that intersection of conflict resolution and social justice reform.”

      —Lucy Moore, Author of Common Ground on Hostile Turf

      “Read this book. It will take you into fertile, uncomfortable terrain as it dares to address the bitter divisions in America and beyond that, if unaddressed, will only fester and escalate. Dialogue is not enough. Mayer and Font‐Guzmán take readers beyond easy prescriptions into difficult, necessary, and fruitful ways to engage and support structural social change. Read this book to change your mind. It can change your neighborhood. Read this book to change the world.