Understanding conflict and the role of community development: Is building a peaceful society within our reach?

The nature of human conflict and causal factors that are associated with extreme violence, hate crimes and terrorism (both domestic and global) have remained perplexing problems given their increasing prevalence despite recent international efforts to address these crimes (Al Ramiah & Hewstone, 2013). The current article summarizes Staub's (2013) essay: Building Peaceful Society and provides a community-based preventative approach that examines the psychological, cultural and sociological factors that contribute to modern extremism and hate crimes. Preventative methods involving interdependent community participation, community-based and prevention oriented (P&EI), “green” sustainable community service activities and civic engagement programs are offered as viable methods to reduce ethnic conflict, hate crimes and to help build a more peaceful society. Suggestions for future research are offered.