Topol Summit brings together nonviolence scholars, practitioners and students

For the sixty scholars, practitioners, and students who gathered for the 2017 Topol Summit on Transforming the Research and Practice of Nonviolent Activism, the day was an opportunity to share ideas and inspiration across fields—and to strategize about how to use their individual perspectives and expertise to find new, creative approaches to conflict resolution.

Our Faculty, Students and Graduates in the News

Linda Tropp comments in the AARP blog on Paula Deen’s teachable moment: Can we change our attitudes?

Paula Deen

Celebrity chef Paula Deen's empire is in free fall because of allegations that she used harmful, racist language.Does Dean, 66, need to adjust some of her core beliefs, attitudes and behaviors? Can she, or for that matter, can any of us? And if so, how?

Linda Tropp, had a thesis: racist behavior can grow out of ignorance and fear. An experiment led by Tropp, a professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, concluded that white participants who talked about racially charged issues with African Americans were consistently more comfortable if they spent more time listening rather than talking about, and justifying, themselves and their own behavior.

Linda Tropp in Australia

Linda Tropp and staff of the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship

Dr. Linda Tropp had a very productive visit to the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship, where she met their staff working with the project team for the 'linkage' grant. She met with the staff who are in charge of funding integration and diversity-related programs throughout the country and shared the latest on intergroup contact research with them.

Linda Tropp speaks on "Coping with violence" on New England Public Radio, April 26, 2013

One week ago the public was stunned by the Boston Marathon bombings. A week later, we’re learning about the two brothers who allegedly committed this act of terrorism. New England Public Radio’s Susan Kaplan spoke with Professor Linda Tropp, the director of Umass-Amherst’s Psychology of Peace and Violence program. She says when something terrible happens — psychologically, we want to re-establish a sense of security.

listen to the broadcast on NPR

Linda Tropp quoted in the February 13, 2013 BBC News magazine on "Why do people keep lists of enemies?".

The National Rifle Association has published an index of its opponents. What's the point of itemising your foes?

Britney Spears is on there. So, too, was Barry Manilow, the makers of Ben & Jerry's ice cream and R&B crooners Boyz II Men.

There's also George Clooney, the Kansas City Royals baseball team, Chaka Khan, Hallmark greeting cards and the American Nurses Association.

This rather disparate group might not appear, at first glance, to have much in common.

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