About the Project

Divides is simultaneously a big story about a very important man on the international stage –four-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee Dr. Vamik Volkan– and a series of very small stories about relatively unknown New York City youth. This ebook guides readers through students’ reflections on Volkan’s theories, as organized in chapters by theory. Volkan’s work has focused on the psychoanalysis of conflict and the importance of bridging contextual differences with opposing parties in order to achieve mutually beneficial agreements. In Divides, a diverse group of kids explain when they have or haven’t acted in accordance with Volkan’s advice. Students range in age from 5th to 12th grades, and as such, stories range from lighthearted and thoughtful to poignant and raw.

– Kaley Pillinger and Sydney Allard, Co-editors
– Nina Potischman, Illustrator