Here at the Greater Good Science Center, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is provoking a range of emotions: sadness, anger, fear, and more. We’re reading the news every day and wishing that there were more we could do to help.

As an educational nonprofit, the best we can do, perhaps, is to remind ourselves and our readers that peace is always possible, the vast majority of people resist killing, even the most violent primates are capable of change, there are steps we can all take to bridge our differences, and activism can make the world a better place. We’ve gathered articles below to help you understand the roots of peace, war, and reconciliation; get involved in activism; and support your well-being and your children’s—including reminders of human goodness in times of conflict. 

If you’d like to find a more direct way to support the people of Ukraine, our friends at KQED created this excellent list of organizations addressing the human crises that war creates. We hope you’ll consider making a donation to one of them.

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Promoting peace and reconciliation
Reminders of human goodness
How political apology and forgiveness works
Resources for well-being and activism
Resources for children’s well-being

© Mike Maguire / CC BY 2.0

Promoting peace and reconciliation

Reminders of human goodness

  • Hope on the Battlefield: Military leaders know a secret: The vast majority of people are overwhelmingly reluctant to take a human life.
  • Courage Under Fire: When the Bosnian civil war broke out, Svetlana Broz searched for the humanity behind the horrific headlines. She found stories of people who risked their lives to help victims of the war—and who inspired others to follow their example.
  • Worlds Without War: Ethnographic studies find that not all societies make war. In other words, war is not intrinsic to humankind.
  • Beyond Sex and Violence: Contrary to the typical view, violence is something humans resort to out of fear—or try to avoid altogether.
  • Peace Among Primates: Anyone who says peace is not part of human nature knows too little about primates, including ourselves.

How political apology and forgiveness works

Resources for well-being and activism

Resources for children’s well-being

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