Ripple Peace Research & Consulting is thrilled to collaborate with Cohesion Strategy to share our recent blog series on Bridgebuilding Effectiveness.
In late 2024, democracy strategist Allison K. Ralph was grappling with questions about the real-world impact of bridgebuilding programs within the U.S. pro-democracy space. She reached out to program evaluator Michelle Garred to propose a collaborative process of inquiry and writing. Over the past few months, we’ve worked together to synthesize our thinking on what makes bridgebuilding effective—and how it can be strengthened.
Across the American landscape, there’s a growing emphasis on “light-touch bridgebuilding”—efforts that aim to ease tension across lines of difference without necessarily seeking shifts in behavior. These approaches are often rooted in contact theory, which proposes that positive interactions between people from different groups can lead to more favorable attitudes and, presumably, more constructive behaviors.
Contact can indeed be a powerful approach—but it isn’t magic. It works best when designed strategically and implemented under the right enabling conditions. That’s why this Bridgebuilding Effectiveness series delves into:
- Methods for evaluating behavior change alongside shifts in attitude,
- The social science foundations that inform bridgebuilding, and
- Proven effectiveness tools from international peacebuilding with strong relevance for U.S. contexts.