Let Us Talk Peace — Peace Groups

Abstract

In the following article we wish to examine the role of ‘emotional availability’ in peace-promoting dialogue groups. In so doing, our basic premise is that any task-directed group relies on theoretical axioms—a system of theoretical assumptions that cannot be proven, accompanied by a set of theorems that direct the group when striving to reach solutions. An analytic group will be based on Foulkes’ theoretical axioms; a dynamic group on Bion’s. Other, non-clinical groups will be based on other axioms, created by the specific group and its specific setting (for example, businessmen will rely on the axiom that shared economic interests will promote peace). We therefore rely in our discussion on a mathematical definition of axioms and on Kurt Gödel’s incompleteness theorems ( Berto, 2009 ; Gödel and Brown, 1940 ). We claim that there is a need for mediation in peace-dialogue groups; such mediation must rely on different axioms and theorems than the group generates itself. We believe that this mediating role can be filled by an analytic facilitator, working from a group analysis perspective.