Eileen R. Borris

Dr. Borris "is a licensed clinical psychologist, political psychologist and educator/trainer who is committed to the work of peacebuilding, conflict resolution and reconciliation especially in emerging democracies. Her focus is on working with ethnic and regional groups in conflict, working in the framework of multi-track diplomacy. A special interest area is in incorporating forgiveness and reconciliation processes within the broader context of conflict resolution. Dr. Borris has worked extensively in this field for over 20 years.

"Dr. Borris is the Director of Training for the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy in Washington DC, has worked for USAID and UNIFEM and travels to regions of conflict around the world giving training programs in conflict resolution, women and peacebuilding, negotiation, dialogue and multi-track diplomacy. She also gives workshops on the healing of trauma, forgiveness and reconciliation in social peacebuilding. Dr. Borris has worked in places that include the former Soviet Union, the Middle East, India with the Tibetan government in exile, Nepal, Pakistan and Indonesia. Within these many diverse projects Dr. Borris teaches processes of forgiveness and reconciliation within the broader context of conflict resolution and international peacebuilding. She also sets up regional and national dialogue processes within a context of scenario building and reconciliation in countries with emerging democracies. The focus of this work has been in Indonesia. Dr. Borris offers training programs in conflict resolution, negotiation, multi-track diplomacy and reconciliation, and leads dialogues with ethnic, racial, and religious groups in conflict.

"Since the mid 1980’s Dr. Borris has worked extensively in the field of political psychology. She also became an active member of Psychologist for Social Responsibility. In the mid 1990’s Dr. Borris joined the Executive Committee of Division 48 - The Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict and Violence: Peace Psychology division of the American Psychological Association (APA) and more recently was elected to serve on the Committee for International Relations in Psychology (CIRP) for APA. She has presented at many national and international conferences covering topics in international peacemaking and peacebuilding; forgiveness and reconciliation as an integral part of conflict resolution; and the importance of healing wounds of the past as part of the work of conflict resolution. In 1995 Dr. Borris began teaching courses in conflict resolution, negotiation and multi-track diplomacy in the International Studies Department of the American Graduate School of International Management. Recently she introduced a new course on International Corporate Diplomacy.

"Dr. Borris received her doctorate in psychology from Columbia University (1985), a certificate of advanced studies in Communicative Sciences from Johns Hopkins University (1980), and a masters in special education from Columbia University (1972). She is a member of the International Society for Political Psychology, Psychologist for Social Responsibility, American Psychological Association - Peace Psychology Division, and the Association for Humanistic Psychology."