Acknowledgments

This discussion guide is the product of a truly collaborative venture. First off, we would like to thank Susan Delson, Andrea Simon, John Kuo Wei Tchen, and Sally Yerkovich of A More Perfect Union for their cooperative spirits and creativity.

We are also indebted to the many people who took the time to pore over drafts of this guide. These reviewers, whose names are listed here, offered constructive criticisms and useful suggestions. (Of course, any errors which remain are the responsibility of the writers of this guide.)

• Chris Adams, Associate Director, The Center for Ethics & Social Policy, Berkeley, CA
• Don Adams and Arlene Goldbard, partners, Adams & Goldbard, Ukiah, CA
• Jim Carnes, Senior Writer, Teaching Tolerance, Montgomery, AL
• Linda DePass-Creque, Executive Director,Virgin Island Institute for Teaching and Learning, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
• Linda Lantieri, Director, Resolving Conflict Creatively Program National Center, New York, NY
• John Paul Lederach, Professor of Sociology and Conflict Studies, Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, VA
• Peter Laurence, Director of Planning and Program Development, World Conference on Religion and Peace, New York, NY
• Michael McQuillan, Advisor for Racial and Ethnic Affairs, Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, Brooklyn, NY
• Carmen Morgan, Director, Youth Services/Family Division, A World of Difference, Los Angeles, CA
• Elizabeth Hanson, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
• Patricia Reichler, Project Manager, Diversity and Local Governance, National League of Cities. Washington, DC
• Gloria Rubio-Cortés, Assistant Vice President, National Civic League, Denver, CO
• Diantha D. Schull, Director, Libraries for the Future, New York, NY
• Linda Shopes, Historian, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, PA
• Anna Towns, Special Actions Officer, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC
• The Reverend Linda Wheatley and Evelyn Townsend, Harriet Tubman Coalition, Cambridge, MD
• Wayne C. Winborne, Director of Program and Policy Research, The National Conference, New York, NY
• Steven Zeitlin, Executive Director, City Lore, New York, NY

We would like to extend special thanks to the people who helped us to organize pilot study circles using this guide. We are grateful for the organizing efforts as well as the invaluable feedback and suggestions volunteered by the following people:

• Paul J. Aicher, President, Topsfield Foundation, Inc., and Molly Holme Barrett, Project Coordinator, Study Circles Resource Center, Pomfret, CT
• Nancy Ancheles, Project Coordinator for the Lilly Endowment Grant for Study Circles on Youth Issues, and Hank Warren, Interim Director, The Roundtable Center, Portland, ME
• Selena Singletary, Director of Human Relations; Mike Crockett, Minority Business Coordinator; and Nancy Flinchbaugh, Mediation and Fair Housing Coordinator, The Department of Human Relations, Housing and Neighborhood Services, City of Springfield, OH
• Ron Hagaman, Administrative Coordinator, The Office of the Mayor, Lima, OH
• Lance Hill, Director, and Melanie Harrington, Southern Institute for Education and Research, Tulane University. New Orleans, LA
• Rosie Hartzler, Language Arts Instructor, YouthBuild. Portland, ME
• Mike Huggins, Assistant City Manager, Eau Claire, WI
• Ann Sheehan, Executive Director, Berks Community Television, Reading, PA

Thank you also to the pilot study circle participants. We value your contributions and appreciate the comments you provided on the evaluation forms. We only wish we could thank each person by name.