Morton Deutsch: A Life and Legacy of Mediation and Conflict Resolution

“An individual with Morton Deutsch’s theoretical brilliance  comes along maybe two or three times a century.”
David Johnson, University of Minnesota

“The richness of Morton Deutsch’s work is like a goldmine that has barely begun to be mined.”
Susan Opotow, University of Massachusetts

Morton Deutsch is one of the most distinguished psychologists of our time and has been honoured by his profession with numerous awards. His ideas permeate the boundaries of law, international politics, education, business, and industrial relations. Yet today many people working in mediation and conflict resolution remain unaware of his great contributions to social and organisational psychology. His professional life spans the very existence of modern social psychology, beginning with his student days in the New York of 1935, through to his continuing work at the International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution, the influential research and teaching center he founded.

Psychologist Erica Frydenberg spent two years documenting the life and legacy of this remarkable man through interviews with Morton and his many students and colleagues. The result is a book that enlightens us about the man’s family and work life as well as illustrating the importance of using rigorous theoretical analysis to drive practical research and application in a way that can make a true difference in our everyday lives.