ABSTRACT
It is interesting that the making and erecting of a bridge has been regarded everywhere as a potentially risky and hazardous undertaking and hence is usually accompanied by many rituals and sacrifices. The universality of the metaphor of the bridge suggests that humankind has always been aware that all that exists is the result of ever-present dialectical processes. There is a legend that in order to render secure the structure of London Bridge, the stones were sprinkled with the blood of little children. Once a bridge has been rendered secure by a sacrifice, it itself can take on an air of sanctity. Where there are bridges and hence diversity as well as communication, then there will also be situations of choice as well as of conflict, of dialogue, and of misunderstanding as well as of reconciliation. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
