In all of its work, Transform draws largely on a method called KUMI in shaping tailored interventions capable of achieving transformational change. Those interventions always combine direct engagement with groups representative of the conflicts concerned, and training of local leaders and activists. We always seek to ensure thereby that local capacity exists to maintain this work once a particular project has come to an end.

KUMI is a composite, highly participatory method for social transformation in conflict. It is specifically designed to bring conflicting parties together in a process of structured dialogue for a deeper analysis of the conflict and a meaningful engagement with each other within the context of a robust and sustainable strategy and action plan. It thereby addresses effectively the problem in many existing conflict methodologies which deal solely with one or two aspects of a conflict, and fall short in confronting its deepest levels.

Conflicts are commonly sustained by institutional and ideological structures on both sides. These structures shape the attitudes and the behavior of the conflict parties. A sustainable resolution of the conflict must involve the transformation of these structures through robust collective action. Attempts at participatory ‘people-to-people’ projects to address conflicts too often have little impact at best and, at worst, reinforce current divisions and inequalities.

KUMI is a synthesis of three tools:

ARIA (Antagonism, Resonance, Invention, Action), developed by leading US conflict resolution researcher-practitioner Jay Rothman, is a highly structured approach focusing primarily on resolving identity based conflict which helps a group move from a state of antagonism to a commonly designed plan of action.

TRANSCEND, developed by Norwegian Professor Johan Galtung, widely considered to be the founder of peace research. Transcend provides a set of tools to enable a group to study collectively the underlying relationships and mechanisms – cultural, structural and behavioural – of their conflict. Seeing the problem to be solved as a contradiction of goals, this approach explores creative ways to shape instead a new, inclusive set of goals that satisfy the basic human needs of all parties involved: survival, physical wellbeing, liberty and identity.

PARTICIPATORY STRATEGIC PLANNING, a powerful consensus building and planning instrument developed by the Institute of Cultural Affairs for the purpose of facilitating organizational and community development.

Ahmed Badawi and Ofer Zalzberg made the call to create the new method to Jim Wiegel, Jonathan Dudding, Jay Rothman, Wilfred Graf, Gudrun Kramer and Brandon Sipes. This core group of scholars, practitioners and facilitators have been later joined by others from Europe and the Middle East to form what we now call the Kumi Network.

KUMI could be defined as a method for making change happen in accordance with the collective will of a group. It is a tool for demonstrating that a new type of politics is possible, one in which ‘power over’ is replaced by ‘power with/for’.

KUMI is not a simple, cut-and-paste combination of these three approaches, but rather a fourth approach in which the building blocks drawn from the three approaches are arranged according to a unique logic which creates a new method altogether. Kumi has its own flow as a method, augmented by an individual framework of va

In all of its work, Transform draws largely on a method called KUMI in shaping tailored interventions capable of achieving transformational change. Those interventions always combine direct engagement with groups representative of the conflicts concerned, and training of local leaders and activists. We always seek to ensure thereby that local capacity exists to maintain this work once a particular project has come to an end.

KUMI is a composite, highly participatory method for social transformation in conflict. It is specifically designed to bring conflicting parties together in a process of structured dialogue for a deeper analysis of the conflict and a meaningful engagement with each other within the context of a robust and sustainable strategy and action plan. It thereby addresses effectively the problem in many existing conflict methodologies which deal solely with one or two aspects of a conflict, and fall short in confronting its deepest levels.

Conflicts are commonly sustained by institutional and ideological structures on both sides. These structures shape the attitudes and the behavior of the conflict parties. A sustainable resolution of the conflict must involve the transformation of these structures through robust collective action. Attempts at participatory ‘people-to-people’ projects to address conflicts too often have little impact at best and, at worst, reinforce current divisions and inequalities.

KUMI is a synthesis of three tools:

ARIA (Antagonism, Resonance, Invention, Action), developed by leading US conflict resolution researcher-practitioner Jay Rothman, is a highly structured approach focusing primarily on resolving identity based conflict which helps a group move from a state of antagonism to a commonly designed plan of action.

TRANSCEND, developed by Norwegian Professor Johan Galtung, widely considered to be the founder of peace research.  Transcend provides a set of tools to enable a group to study collectively the underlying relationships and mechanisms – cultural, structural and behavioural – of their conflict.  Seeing the problem to be solved as a contradiction of goals, this approach explores creative ways to shape instead a new, inclusive set of goals that satisfy the basic human needs of all parties involved: survival, physical wellbeing, liberty and identity.

PARTICIPATORY STRATEGIC PLANNING, a powerful consensus building and planning instrument developed by the Institute of Cultural Affairs for the purpose of facilitating organizational and community development.

Ahmed Badawi and Ofer Zalzberg made the call to create the new method to Jim Wiegel, Jonathan Dudding, Jay Rothman, Wilfred Graf, Gudrun Kramer and Brandon Sipes. This core group of scholars, practitioners and facilitators have been later joined by others from Europe and the Middle East to form what we now call the Kumi Network.

KUMI could be defined as a method for making change happen in accordance with the collective will of a group. It is a tool for demonstrating that a new type of politics is possible, one in which ‘power over’ is replaced by ‘power with/for’.

KUMI is not a simple, cut-and-paste combination of these three approaches, but rather a fourth approach in which the building blocks drawn from the three approaches are arranged according to a unique logic which creates a new method altogether. Kumi has its own flow as a method, augmented by an individual framework of values, underlying norms, principles, assumptions, hypotheses, aims, a culture of practice and an intentional, self-regulating community of practitioners.

As far as we know, KUMI is the first successful attempt to integrate these usually competing approaches to conflict transformation while combining them with a tool as powerful and well-tried as Participatory Strategic Planning.

For more information, contact Ahmed Badawi badawi@transform-centre.org.

lues, underlying norms, principles, assumptions, hypotheses, aims, a culture of practice and an intentional, self-regulating community of practitioners.

As far as we know, KUMI is the first successful attempt to integrate these usually competing approaches to conflict transformation while combining them with a tool as powerful and well-tried as Participatory Strategic Planning.

For more information, contact Ahmed Badawi badawi@transform-centre.org.