As a professor of political science at the University of Illinois, Nagel developed his theory of “super-optimizing solutions,” otherwise known as “win-win” analysis — both terms that he coined — to help solve conflicts.
“In the win-win philosophy,” Nagel once said, “we want to contribute an analytical framework to arrive at solutions faster with less anguish than others that involve a compromise of two sides.” A solution where both sides in a conflict could claim a “win” was a radical idea, but he didn’t want it to simply be an academic concept.
He traveled extensively to put on workshops all over the world to teach people about his “win-win” idea. “With regional workshops we want to try to get ideas to ordinary people, not just professors,” he said. Nagel died November 19. He was 67.