How do we break down the us vs. them binary,
once a seemingly intractable conflict takes over? Can we step outside of our own beliefs, loyalties, and biases to revive curiosity and reevaluate our rivals? What is the role of media in digging into the understory? In this talk, Ann will draw on the work of journalist and mediator Amanda Ripley, author of High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out. She will discuss how to short-circuit high conflict and move toward constructive conversations that seek common ground,
and the common good.

Ann Crews Melton is executive director of Consensus Council, a Bismarck-based nonprofit, and previously served as an editor at the State Historical Society of ND and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in religion from Austin College and a master of arts degree in publishing and writing from Emerson College. She is former reporter and community columnist for the Bismarck Tribune. Ann is an Aspen Institute Better Arguments Ambassador, former board officer of Humanities North Dakota, and a strong proponent of civic engagement, restorative practices, and participatory decision-making.