Conflict Resoultion
What is Conflict Resolution?
Is oriented towards changing conflicts so that they can be conducted constructively, even creatively, in the sense that violence is minimized, antagonism between the adversaries is overcome, outcomes are mutually acceptable to the opponents and settlements are enduring. Addressing and transforming the deep sources of the conflict in three aspects: behavior, attitudes, and structure. It can refer to both the process and the outcome. The purpose of CR as a process is not to conceal the conflict, but to turn a violent or potentially violent one into peaceful processes of social and political change.
What are the Tractable Conflicts?
Kriesberg. Goals are of low importance; Are perceived as solvable; Parties do not use violence; Parties are interested to solve them peacefully; Parties perceive them as being of mixed motive nature; Parties have institutionalized mechanisms to resolve them; Parties negotiate to resolve them; Parties do not mobilize society members.
What are the Intractable Conflicts?
Kriesberg. They are: total; violent; of a zero-sum nature; are central; are perceived as unsolvable; demand great investments; are protracted. Ex: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict was intractable mostly during the 1950s-1970s (but not so much after). Only a few Intractable Conflicts have been solved at all. A conflict is intractable ONLY when it has ALL seven factors. If it doesn't have one of the characteristics, then it is mostly intractable but not fully.
What is Conflict Management?
Limitation, containment and de-escalation of violent conflicts. Not trying to solve problem, just de-escalate.
What is the State-Society Level of the Levels of Analysis Theory?
Marxist theory: The domestic economic structure of capitalism. Scapegoat hypothesis / Diversionary theory of war. Political culture: The democratic peace. Ethnicity, Nationalism & Religion. Migration, environmental changes.
What is Conflict Settlement?
Reaching of an agreement which allows them to bring an armed conflict to an end. Settlement doesn't necessarily addresses conflict attitudes and structural contradictions.
What is the Sixth Stage in the Stages to Conflict?
Reconciliation, inter-societal peace building processes beyond the conflict's formal solution.
What are the Sources for Intergroup or Interstate Conflicts?
Resources and int'l trade; anarchic structure of int'l system; state's economic system; ideology; beliefs and emotions; nationalism and ethnicity; human nature; political culture; misperceptions; int'l distribution of power.
What is the ABC Triangle of Conflict?
Written by Galtung, 1969. Attitude ←→ Behavior ←→ Contradiction ←→ attitude (etc.)
What is the First Main Period of the Development of the CR Field?
1914-1945 Preparatory stage. WWI made clear that spreading democracy will not prevent wards or conflicts. Main research focuses on eruption of large scale conflicts, class-based struggles, conflicts within organizations, non-rational sources of conflicts - scapegoats theory (Laswell, 1930 says that States can initiate conflicts with another State in order to deal with internal problems).
What is the Second Main Period of the Development of the CR Field?
1946-1969 Basic research. Post WWII and Vietnam: concerns about justice, autonomy and equality arise. Research and data collection from the onset of the Cold War to examine incidence and correlates of wars. Like the institute that tracks how wars have to do with one another. Different theories created during this time: Integration and cooperation among countries (Deutsch) Game theory -mixed motive games. Intergroup relations and superordinate goals (Sherif, 1966) Contact theory (Allport, 1954). Still used now. Try to find out what conditions conflicting groups need to be in to lead to solutions. In the Field of Peace Research there was the creation of: 1957 -Journal of conflict resolution. 1959 -PRIO (International Peace Research Institute Oslo). 1962 - GRIT (Graduate Reciprocation in Tension Reduction) theory (Osgood)
What is the Third Main Period of the Development of the CR Field?
1970-1985 Crystallization and expansion. Consensus on several core issues: reframing of conflict as a shared problem; the contribution of mediators; possibility to learn conflict management skills. CR as a social movement: NGOs, ADR, practical alternative to reliance on military. Expansion of CR work around the world. Influences by: feminist theory; social movements theory; peace movements. Development of track II diplomacy: ICR, dialogue groups. Important people who can influence conflicts.
What is the Fourth Main Period of the Development of the CR Field?
1986 - Present Differentiation and institutionalization. Transformation from ideology based conflicts to ethnicity and religion based conflicts; increase in intrastate conflicts (increase in problems within a state, and less state to state conflicts). Increased attention to emotions, cultures of conflict/peace. Ripeness theory (Zartman, 1985, 1989). Institutionalization, differentiation and specialization of CR.
What is a Social Conflict?
A conflict that arises when two or more persons or groups manifest the belief that they have incompatible goals and decide to act on the basis of that belief.
What is the Normative Approach to Conflict Resolution?
A negative perspective on conflicts emphasizes the damages caused and help to understand how to prevent, regulate and stop them. A positive perspective on conflicts perceives them as an appropriate and moral way to repair injustice and oppression.
What makes Intractable Conflicts Protracted?
Accumulation of animosity and hatred. Formation of the view about the conflict. Development of collective memory. Development of ethos conflict. New generations are socialized into the conflict. Learning that the conflict is unsolvable.
What are the Stages to Conflict?
Bases -> manifestation -> escalation -> de-escalation -> settlement -> consequences -> bases The above is a cycle that can go into circles over and over. Also, in each stage there can be many external influences that can cause the stages. However, not all conflicts go through all stages. The circle of stages creates a theoretical framework with which conflicts can be analyzed and understood.
What is the First Stage in Stages to Conflict?
Bases -> manifestation -> escalation -> de-escalation -> settlement -> consequences -> bases The above is a cycle that can go into circles over and over. Also, in each stage there can be many external influences that can cause the stages. However, not all conflicts go through all stages. The circle of stages creates a theoretical framework with which conflicts can be analyzed and understood.
What are the Stages of Conflict using Northern Ireland as a Case Study?
Bases: 'Tyranny' of the Protestant majority (the Stormont Era, 1921-1972) Manifestation: The Human Rights movement (1962-1969). Event of 'Bloody Sunday' = British police started shooting people at one of the human rights parades. This made the Northern Irish realize that they will not succeed peacefully. Escalation: 'The Troubles', British direct rule (1969-1998) De-escalation: IRA and Loyalists ceasefires, inter-party talks (1994-1998) Early de-escalation attempt: Sunningdale Agreement - original IRA disbanded. Ended up collapsing. The provisional IRA (the current one now) __ Settlement and Implementation: the Belfast/Good Friday agreement (1998-), St. Andrews agreement (2007). Took 9 years for the agreement to be implemented. During these 9 years, there was a very low amount of violence. So even though it took time to implement the agreement, they were 'successful' with decreasing violence. Every year on July 12 the people of Ireland have a parade that ends up violent but everyone is aware that it will happen and take measures to handle it. It doesn't turn into something bigger.
What are the Psychological Aspects of Conflict Research?
Basic hypothesis: conflict begins in the human mind and thus its end must commence from the same place. Main goals: identifying psychological processes which are involved in each stage of the conflict, in order to suggest paths which will bring its resolution. Defining the research field: research of the effect of thoughts, attitudes and emotions of individuals and groups on their political views regarding the outbreak of the conflict, its maintenance and resolution. Level of analysis: mostly individual level, with some exceptions of researches in group level.
How can one Differentiate between Conflicts by Looking at the Context?
By looking at the social context and the international context (ex: double asymmetry). Disagreement on the nature of the system may lead to difficult conflicts.
How can one Differentiate between Conflicts?
By looking at: issues in contention; adversary characteristics; relationship between the adversaries; contexts; means; outcome; level of constructiveness/ destructiveness.
What are the Psychological Experiences of Intractable Conflicts?
Chronic feelings of mid level threat, stress, insecurity. Feelings of pain and grief for human losses . Sense of hardship and demands (in psychological and material terms). Feelings of uncertainty, lack of control and helplessness. Feelings of determination, solidarity and ability to endure.
What Functional Psychological Infrastructure is need to Meet the Challenges?
Collective memory. Ethos of conflict. Collective emotional orientations (e.g., hatred, fear, anger). Strong social identity empowered by contents of conflict (.e.g., collective memory and ethos of conflict).
What does a Social Conflict Consist of?
Conflict Awareness: all parties must comprehend the situation as a conflict. Ex: non-violent, but it will always be aimed at achieving one's goals. Action: The action can be violent or non-violent, but it will always be aimed at achieving one's goals. Escalation: In order for conflicts to escalate, needs two things: 1) rationale to conduct the conflict (ideology) must be sure of yourself that you are right. As conflict escalates, beliefs must become stronger. 2) cant have conflict unless you can mobilize the people. You have a group supporting you.
What is the Broad Approach of Conflict Management Theory?
Conflict management attempts to: prevent the development of conflict situation [Prevent development before the emergence of violence]; (after its emergence) prevent its escalation to a violent and destructive behavior [Stop escalation of violence]; (after its escalation) moderate violence, terminate and remove its sources through conflict settlement or even resolution [Can begin in a latent conflict, and end in conflict resolution].
What is the Narrow Approach of Conflict Management Theory?
Conflict management is the sum of all deliberate processes which occur after the conflict prevention failed and before reaching its resolution. The result of failure from conflict prevention, but is the moment before resolution. Focuses on trying to stop violence.
What is the Conflict Management Theory?
Conflict management refers to a wide variety of mechanisms, procedures and methods. They are used during the conflict in order to contain it while limiting and reducing (as much as possible) the level of intergroup violence. Conflict management could be a default option in cases where conflict resolution failed, hence the parties perceive it as irresolvable. In these cases each party will attempt to manage the conflict and reduce the violence in a way which will maximize its own interests. Alternative terms - Conflict Containment, Conflict Control or Conflict Regulation.
What is the System Level of the Levels of Analysis Theory?
Consists of: Realist & neo-realist paradigms: balance of power; power transition, hierarchical equilibrium; lateral pressure. Liberal paradigm: international trade; international interdependence.
What are the Challenges of a Society Involved in an Intractable Conflict?
Coping with stress and other negative psychological phenomena. Adaptation - trying to satisfy basic needs and learning to live with their deprivation. Developing psychological conditions that enable at least withstanding the enemy.
What is the Fourth Stage in the Stages to Conflict?
De-escalation, transition toward reduced antagonism. A conflict can have several episodes of escalation and de-escalation.
How can one Differentiate between Conflicts by Looking at the Means?
Degree of regulation: rules which regulate the behavior during the conflict and procedures of decision making in order to settle the conflict. Level of severity: the injury each party to the conflict suffers, resulting from violent or none violent coercion. The level of severity is affected by the degree of regulation but is not determined by it.
What makes Intractable Conflicts Total?
Intractable conflicts are perceived as essential and existential goals, as perceived by the parties -over self determination, independence, land, resources, basic needs, fundamental values, etc. In Israeli-Palestinian conflict, both sides consider the conflict "total".
What is the Relation Between Anger and Conflict Escalation?
Direct association between anger and attribution of blame to the outgroup (Small et al., 2006). Individuals who feel angry appraise future military attacks as less risky (Lerner & Keltner, 2001) and forecast more positive consequences of such attacks (Huddy et al., 2007). Angry individuals were highly supportive of an American military response in Iraq and elsewhere following the 9/11 (Lerner et al., 2003; Skitka et al., 2006).
What is the Second Stage in the Stages to Conflict?
Emergence Stage, or manifestation, is where the potential opponents perceive themselves as adversaries desiring incompatible goals. Both sides realize that they have two different goals. Ex: once Jews came to Palestine and started to create a state, one can say that the conflict emerged.
What is the Third Stage in the Stages to Conflict?
Escalation, is when the adversaries begin to pursue their incompatible goals. This is when the means of conflict intensify, often entailing coercion. It is important to emphasize that destructive conduct of conflict is only one optional subset. Ex: Jews began to immigrate people to Palestine and building Yeshuv's. If Jews made settlements, then the Arabs couldn't build. Escalating the conflict. Ex: when the one Israeli student grabbed a tent to camp out on Rothchild and sent invites to join her on Facebook. Ex: the strike of four hours yesterday of the 'working class' against the employers and government.
What makes Intractable Conflicts Zero-Sum in Nature?
Every gain of the opponent is considered as loss and vice versa. Therefore: no willingness to compromise; focus on the goals and needs of the group and disregarding those of the rival.
How can one Differentiate between Conflicts by Looking at Issues in Contention?
Interests perceived as limited so that one party's gains diminishes those of the other side. Values which are important to one side while the other strongly objects them and perceives them as an insult to his own believes. Zero-sum vs. mixed motive.
What is the Difference between Interstate War and Intrastate War?
Interstate conflict: between two sovereign states. But there is a decline in proportion of interstate wars. Intrastate war: not between two states. There are three reasons for intrastate war: Revolution/Ideology - changing the nature of government. Identity/Secession - changing the relative status of communities in relation to the state. Factional - intra-elite power struggle for economic or other interests.
What is the Behavior aspect of the ABC Triangle?
Might include cooperation or coercion, friendly gestures or hostile threats. Behavior during a violent conflict is characterized by threats, coercion and destructive attacks.
What are the Main Psychological Factors of Conflict Outbreak and Escalation?
Misperceptions (deliberate or coincidental) - inaccurate inferences, miscalculations of consequences, and misjudgments about how others will react to one's policies (Jervis, 1988). Group-Based Anger - Anger is evoked by events in which the individual perceives the actions of others as unjust, unfair or as deviating from acceptable societal norms (Averill, 1982). In addition, it involves appraisals of relative strength and high coping potential (Mackie et al., 2000).
What are the Methods for Conflict Resolution?
Negotiation: a process where the adversaries seek to settle or resolve their conflict Mediation: a voluntary process where a third party intervenes. In pure mediation, the parties retain control over the outcome Problem Solving: a process where the sides are invited to re-conceptualize the conflict and search for creative, win-win outcomes. Reconciliation: long term process which aims to overcome hostility and distrust between divided peoples.
How can one Differentiate between Conflicts by Looking at the Relationship between the Adversaries?
Number of parties involved in the conflict and how they are organized. Integration - the degree of mutual engagement and interdependency. Domination - the level of control one party exercises over the other is affected by each party's alternatives and influences their relations.
What makes Intractable Conflicts Unsolvable?
Numerous attempts to resolve the conflict peacefully failed. Therefore society prepares itself for a long conflict.
What are the Types of Violences in the Triangle of Violence?
One can differentiate between three types of violence according to the components of the triangle: Direct Violence: can end by changing conflict behavior Structural Violence: can end by removing structural contradictions and injustices Cultural Violence: can end by changing attitudes
What are the Peace Processes?
Peace Making: A process where conflict parties are induced to settle armed conflict and reach agreement voluntarily. Peace Keeping: Interposition of an international force to separate between armed forces or to provide humanitarian aid (UN forces in the Sinai desert). Peace Enforcement: Imposing settlement by a powerful third party (NATO in Kosovo). Peace Building: Establishment of peace making and peace keeping processes by addressing structural issues and long term relations between the parties.
What is the Attitude aspect of the ABC Triangle?
Perception and misperception of each other and of oneself. Negatives attitudes towards the other are influenced by emotions such as fear and hatred, and includes negative stereotypes. Attitudes are composed of three elements: emotive (feeling), cognitive (belief), and conative (wishes).
What are the Potential Effects of Interlocking Conflicts Theory?
Positive Effects: Diverse action opportunities; More possibilities for alliances; More possibilities for integrative negotiation and settlements. Negative Effects: Higher complexity of considerations and dangers; Can create "bad reputation" and prejudice on the rival; Integration of several conflicts usually escalates the conflict; When the "big" conflict is de-escalating, small-internal conflicts emerge.
How can one Differentiate between Conflicts by Looking at Adversary of Characteristics?
Self conception - sense of superiority or morality that provides justifications. Constituencies - ability to mobilize followers, representativeness. Boundary clarity - the level of social boundaries between and within the parties (the difference between interstate and intrastate conflicts).
What is the Fifth Stage in the Stages to Conflict?
Settlement is ending the conflict through negotiation or mediation.
What is a Critique of the Levels of Analysis Theory?
That attention should be drawn to the interdependence & importance of combining different levels of analysis to understand conflicts' outbreak, maintenance and resolution.
What is the Interlocking Conflicts Theory?
That every social conflict has more than two sides. Ways in which conflicts can interlock: connection over time; overlapping in social space; superimposed issues; cross-cutting issues; concurrent. The perceived focal conflict determines the shifts in conflict intensity. Each conflict affects the other, hence they cannot be dealt or understood separately.
What is an Example of Misperception during the Outbreak and Escalation of a Conflict?
The War in Iraq - A study based on seven US polls reveals that a majority of Americans have had significant misperceptions and these are highly related to support for the war in Iraq. Among those with none of the misperceptions, only 23% support the war. Among those with all three misperceptions, 86% supported the war.
What makes Intractable Conflicts an Extensive Investment?
The conflict demands great human investment and sacrifice. Societies involved in the conflict make vast economical, social, cultural and psychological investments.
What makes Intractable Conflicts Central?
The conflict greatly and continuously preoccupies society members and is easily accessible. It is central for both personal and collective decision makings. It is highly salient on the public agenda.
What is Conflict Transformation?
The deepest level of CR, in which a deep rooted change is carried out in the social structures and culture that reproduce violence, both within the sides and in their relations. Transformation is highly important in asymmetric conflicts in which the goal is to change unjust social relations.
What is the Individual Level of the Levels of Analysis Theory?
The influence of political leaders and public. Their personality traits; belief system, attitudes & emotions; and their psychological processes: perception & misperception, judgment, decision making.
How can one Differentiate between Conflicts by Looking at the level of Destructiveness/Constructiveness?
The level of destructiveness depends on the different factors we previously mentioned. The level of constructiveness also depends on the use of nonviolent means, on the perception of legitimacy of the other side, lack of existential threat, and on reaching an mutually acceptable outcome.
What are the Three Necessary Beliefs for a Conflict to Escalate?
The other side's actions/statements are unfair/immoral/wrong We are strong enough to win (achieve our goals) There is no other alternative
What is the Contradiction of the ABC Triangle?
The underlying conflict situation which includes incompatibility of goals resulting from mis-match between social values and structures. In symmetrical conflicts the contradiction is caused by clashing interests of the parties. In asymmetrical conflicts the contradiction of interests are inherent in the relationship.
How can one Differentiate between Conflicts by Looking at the Outcome?
Through the 3 aspects of examination: Victory - who won the struggle The degree to which the parties became more integrated or separated from each other. The degree to which the outcome is the basis for a renewed conflict.
What Makes Intractable Conflicts Violent?
Violence includes deliberate actions to harm the rival group. Violence in conflict is carried under the responsibility of society and carried out by its members. Physical violence causes: violation of sanctity of life; emotional involvement of society members; irreversibility of the situation; appearance of the desire for vengeance.
What is the Triangle of Violence?
Written by Galtung, 1990. Direct Personal Violence: physical, verbal, psychological, ex: man hits a woman Structural Violence: embedded in social structure; ex: gender discrimination, femicide Cultural Violence: used to justify direct or structural violence; ex: victim blaming in cases of rape
Who Created the Levels of Analysis Theory?
Written by Waltz, 1959 and Levy, 2001.
