War Studies Leadership in a divided world
Feb 25, 2026
Michael Shipler, VP of Leadership Development & Partnerships at Search for Common Ground, draws on decades in peacebuilding and youth leadership. He discusses bringing divided communities together. Topics include moral injury, using art and media to shift social norms, youth-led media, rebuilding institutional legitimacy, and training leaders across different forms of power.
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Multi‑Partial Teams Design Locally Tailored Peace Work
- Search for Common Ground uses multi-partial teams that include members from opposing groups to design locally tailored peace strategies.
- Teams are rooted in 24 countries and adapt programs (e.g., Sudan humanitarian access, US political violence prevention) to local needs.
Bridge Vertical And Horizontal Power To Sustain Peace
- Conflict management requires bridging vertical (institutional) and horizontal (networked) power to form broad-based constituencies.
- Young activist movements show networked power can overthrow or reshape elites, forcing governance shifts.
Moral Injury Fuels Disaffection And Radicalisation
- Moral injury—when leaders or peers violate shared values—drives disaffection and can radicalize or traumatize fighters and civilians.
- In Syria fighters left groups after discovering leaders acted from self‑interest rather than moral purpose.
