Who are your perceived adversaries?
An (Upcoming) Conversation with Michael Shipler, Search for Common Ground
I sat next to Michael Shipler at a Salzburg Global convening on polarization and political violence. From the first moment he spoke, I knew I needed to hear more. There was something about his warmth, his passion, the way he talked about impossibly difficult conflicts with grounded optimism earned through two decades of practice.
On November 19th, Michael joins us at R Street for “The Fragile Republic: Lessons on Political Violence from the Founding to Today.” After historians examine America’s past and analysts diagnose today’s rage, the conversation turns to what comes next: How do we move forward when the divisions feel this deep?
Michael brings 20 years of peacebuilding experience across 25 countries. As VP of Strategy at Search for Common Ground, he’s gotten people across impossible divides to work together in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, and right here in the U.S. Starting in January, he’s building a global leadership community to transform how we think about power.
But first, one insight from our conversation.
Perceived Adversaries
Michael learned this phrase from a Nigerian colleague: “perceived adversaries.”
This single modifier changes everything. “Who are your adversaries?” assumes certainty. “Who are your perceived adversaries?” opens up a world of possibility. Maybe the divide isn’t as deep as it feels. Maybe you can collaborate on shared interests that matter deeply, with human dignity at the heart.
Walk into a Search for Common Ground office in Bishkek and you’ll find a senior official from the muftiate and a police official working together on human rights training. In Sri Lanka, it’s poets and playwrights writing drama as a tool for peacebuilding.
Michael sees this same dynamic on his own street in DC. On Halloween, 30 or 40 families from the local school converge. Hundreds of kids. Neighbors sitting on porches. Some building elaborate haunted houses. Others, like Michael, keep it simple with pumpkins and gravestones. It’s the unglamorous work of community that can’t wait for political resolution.
“Most of what’s good comes from collaboration,” Michael told me. “Every supply chain is a product of collaboration. We already know how to do this. We just need to unleash it.”
Michael’s optimism comes from practice. Twenty years watching diverse teams tackle root causes of conflict in the world’s hardest places. He believes we can transform our divisions by recognizing that many of our adversaries are more perceived than real.
Join us tomorrow (November 19th) to hear from Michael and our panel as we explore what it takes to strengthen democratic life for America’s next 250 years.
I’ll release a full Real Insights conversation with Michael in the coming weeks. For now: Who are your perceived adversaries? What becomes possible if they’re something else entirely?
This is the latest in our Real Insights series, where R Street Executive Director Erica Schoder explores democratic resilience through conversations with practitioners, scholars, and leaders. Subscribe to stay updated on upcoming conversations.