Karen Ross, PhD

Karen Ross is an Associate with Essential Partners and an Associate Professor in the Department of Conflict Resolution, Human Security, and Global Governance at the University of Massachusetts-Boston. 

Karen's research focuses on both substantive and methodological (how do we know?) issues connected to the role dialogue and other grassroots peacebuilding initiatives can play in creating positive social change at community and societal scales. She has explored these questions in Israel-Palestine and South Africa as well as the United States.  At UMass Boston, Karen teaches courses on dialogue & facilitation, education and peace/conflict, conflict theory, and research methodology, all of which center dialogic approaches to help create spaces for effective student learning. 

Karen is a long-time dialogue practitioner trained in a variety of approaches. in addition to her work with Essential Partners, she has worked with Soliya, the Jewish Dialogue Group, UNESCO, and the American Friends Service Committee.