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Look around for wise words about approaching conflict in academic environments and you will find no shortage. Very often, these take the form of sound practical advice about how the responsible academic manager should best deal with conflict situations. Find common ground. Establish a clear timeline and keep track of each step along the way. Operate in a transparent fashion. Set clear rules of conduct and be explicit about the possible outcomes. Get outside help when necessary. Be aware of the legal and institutional framework–and, specifically, get advice and support from HR professionals.

This advice can be helpful, partly because it provides some practical markers and sense of process when dealing with conflict, partly also because it reminds us that we are not the first to be in such a situation. We can apply Tolstoy’s famous remark about families to the academic department: all happy departments are …