Workshop | De-Escalation in Divided Times: Strategies for Coexistence

Americans are often told how divided we are—politically, culturally, and ideologically. Portland is portrayed as leaning far to the left, while rural Oregon is seen as leaning far to the right. This session examines the reality that we are less polarized than the current narrative suggests. Part of bridging this perceived divide involves learning strategies for de-escalation. Building on the work of Cure: PNW, a project funded by a federal grant to reduce political violence, this session will outline practical methods for promoting political and cultural civility. Topics include strengthening community capacity, using credible messengers, and recognizing trauma responses. These strategies have helped reduce conflict during the Portland ICE protests and can also be applied effectively in workplaces and family settings.

Randall Blazak has been the chair of Oregon’s Coalition Against Hate Crimes since 2002 and is a globally recognized expert on bias crimes and extremism. Blazak earned his PhD at Emory University in 1995 after completing an extensive field study of racist skinheads that included undercover observations and interviews across the world. He became a tenured sociology professor at Portland State University and teaches sociology classes at the University of Oregon and Portland Community College. He serves as the vice-chair of Oregon’s Department of Justice Steering Committee on Bias Crimes and Incidents and is currently a subject matter expert on a federally funded grant to develop community based responses to violent extremism called Cure-PNW.

Read more about Randall and his work at www.randyblazak.com