The Art of the Possible: Decommissioning Mindsets with Monica McWilliams

In this live episode of the Kroc Cast, Good Friday Agreement signatory Monica McWilliams shares a masterclass in resilience and political strategy.

Drawing from her experience co-founding the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition, McWilliams offers a candid look at what it takes to "mess up the pitch" and force a seat at a table dominated by "big beasts" and entrenched "dinosaurs." She explores the grueling "software" of peacebuilding—the work of decommissioning mental prejudices—and explains why peace must be "heated" simultaneously at the elite and grassroots levels.

With wit and candor, McWilliams discusses the tactical use of humor against sexism, the vital influence of Nelson Mandela, and the delicate challenge of "tattooing a balloon" to ensure a peace process survives long after the signatures are dry.

This episode was recorded live at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies' Strategic Peacebuilding Academy on "Peace Processes" in 2025.