ABSTRACT
This chapter adopts a conception of harmony that emphasizes difference rather than sameness and that focuses on process rather than outcome. Drawing on both ancient Greek and Chinese approaches to harmony, it argues that instead of viewing conflicts as a threat to harmony, they should be seen as an essential part of the harmonization process. Indeed, conflicts over seemingly incompatible goals can sometimes serve as the impetus for individual and social changes that need to be made in order to address the underlying causes for the conflicts. An alternative to violence is dialogue, which has the potential to promote harmony and lead to greater peace in conflict-torn societies. Dialogue provides a way to harness potentially damaging tension and redirect it toward healthy growth. The chapter suggests ways in which dialogue can help bring about more peaceful ways of dealing with differences, contributing to a process of harmony that embraces, rather than avoids, diversity and change.
