Civic fusion describes the process by which people come together to achieve shared public goals while still honoring profound differences in values and perspectives. Drawing on more than 25 years of mediation and negotiation experience, this book presents proven strategies for guiding deeply polarized groups toward consensus. The author’s work includes facilitating dialogue between pro-life and pro-choice leaders following fatal shootings at women’s health clinics, bringing together crane industry leaders and labor unions to develop federal worker safety regulations, and helping residents of a failing city reclaim their democracy by drafting a consensus-based charter.

Through these and other compelling real-world case studies, Civic Fusion leads readers through a thought-provoking exploration of what mediators strive to accomplish, what actually happens in practice, and what must change to unite divided groups. The book offers innovative, practical approaches for managing complex, multi-party and multi-issue negotiations on challenging public policy matters.