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  • The Polarised City (1): How 2 Jos Communities Struggle To Unite After Years Of Crises

    With help from nongovernmental organizations, the people of two communities who clashed violently since 2001 found ways to coexist peacefully since 2019. Violent attacks and reprisals between the Christians of Unguwar Balakazai and Muslims of Mai Damisa claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed homes repeatedly. Elders trained by the Youth Initiative Against Violence and Human Rights Abuse told youth stories about peace in Jos in the past. Youth ambassadors trained by the Jos Stakeholders for Peace Centre met and agreed to lay down their weapons.

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  • They Overcame Mutual Loathing, and Saved a Town

    Loggers and environmentalists aren’t always known for getting along, but the collaboration between these two groups in Oregon may have saved a town from going under. By creating a dialogue together and working to understand each other’s side, they were able to create a contract that allows loggers to continue thinning forests that were overgrown, which, in turn, keeps the forest healthy and people employed. This kind of cooperation could offer lessons for other groups who are looking to find common ground.

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  • How Madison County Residents Successfully Lobbied Legislators Over Pollution Concerns

    After Georgian residents raised concerns about a pollutant that was being emitted by a nearby biomass plant, they banded together to pass legislation that effectively put an end to the practice. These concerned residents founded the Madison County Clean Power Coalition to raise awareness of the effects of creosote burning, which, when breathed in, has shown to increase the risk of lung and heart disease. Their lobbying efforts resulted in the governor signing into law a ban on burning creosote-treated wood.

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  • Can Social Scientists Help Control Epidemics?

    When the rise of Ebola in West Africa strict protocols when handling those who were dying or had died from the disease, public health officials began working with anthropologists and other social scientists to increase trust and influence people’s willingness to seek treatment. At the center of the success was the social scientist's recommendations for burial services which addressed concerns about first responders disrespecting the dead. Today, these social scientists are providing similar consult for the Covid-19 pandemic.

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  • Mobile Vaccine Squad Has a Mission: Find and Protect the Neediest

    In California's Marin County, mobile vaccine teams are helping to deliver vaccines to populations that are "homebound, homeless, and hesitant." The team has been able to administer 8,000 shots so far, which organizers say has been the easiest part. Linda Dobra, who leads a mobile vaccination team, says, “It’s all the logistics that go into planning and consenting and observing and set-up that takes time."

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  • A key to bridging the political divide: Sit down and talk?

    One Small Step seeks to decrease toxic polarization by bringing people of differing views and backgrounds together to talk. About 800 people have met in pairs in around 40 cities to talk about commonalities, such as family and spirituality, in addition to other issues facing the country. The conversations, which highlight people’s commonalities and help to humanize one another, are based on research that shows bringing people together face-to-face decreases prejudice and discrimination. Some of the recorded conversations become part of the StoryCorps podcast or were broadcast on NPR.

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  • Georgia College Political Society Sparks Conversations as Solution to Political Polarization

    Georgia College Political Society, a non-partisan debate and discussion organization, hosts events where students from across the political spectrum discuss political issues. Discussion topics have included criminal justice, foreign policy, and the 2020 election. The group currently meets on Zoom and posts livestreams of their debates on Facebook. The environment has been friendly, with some agreement on the structural problems, but different ideas about how to solve them. So far, there have been 10 panels and the College’s political science faculty have provided crash courses on the topics being discussed.

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  • Green space in cities can bring considerable health benefits for communities, but access is unequal

    Platte Farm Open Space used to be a garbage dumping ground in Denver, but it’s now an urban green space thanks to the efforts from community members, organizations, and the government. This community-led project was able to secure funding to replace the contaminated land with fresh soil that now attracts animals and includes walking paths and a playground for children. This project offers lessons on how to build a green space in a diverse neighborhood and the health benefits that come from such an initiative.

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  • Unifying America: ‘Braver Angels' Try To Bridge The Political Divide

    Braver Angels works to decrease political polarization by pairing up Republicans and Democrats for one-on-one conversations about each other’s political views and experiences. The goal of the conversations is to encourage understanding through talking and listening, not to change anyone’s views. Participants often find they share similar goals but just have different perspectives on how to achieve them. The group has about 15,000 members representing every state. Membership surged after the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capital, after which around 4,500 Braver Angels gathered virtually to try and heal.

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  • How Jersey City Middle Schoolers Stopped a Flood

    In a science class in a local New Jersey school, students came up with a green solution to a storm water management and flooding problem in their parking lot when it rained. With help from the Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program out of Rutgers University and funding from city agencies, they were able to build planters and install concrete to absorb the runoff. The project galvanized the community, encouraging the school to expand their STEM curriculum.

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