Fundamentals of Conflict Studies

Spring 2007

•Syllabus Review

•Personal Introductions

•Course Perspectives

Working Definitions of “Conflict”

• Conflict means perceived divergence of interest, or a belief that the parties' current aspirations cannot be achieved simultaneously. (Pruitt and Rubin)

• Conflict is a struggle between opponents over values and claims to scarce status, power and resources. (Coser)

• A social conflict arises when two or more persons or groups manifest the belief that they have incompatible objectives. (Kriesberg)

‘Cuts’ on Conflict Analysis

By Conflict Theory or By Practice

THEORY PRACTICE

By Discipline

• Biology• Social Psychology• Sociology• Anthropology• Economics• Political Science

By Stage

                                                

                                                                                                     

By Unit of Analysis

Interpersonal (Conflict as a function of personality)

Inter-Group (Conflict as a function of group dynamics)

International(Conflict as a function of strategic interests or systemic insecurity)

By Type

• Public Policy Disputes

• Environmental Conflicts

• International Conflicts

• Workplace Conflicts

• Interpersonal Conflicts

• Racial / Ethnic Conflicts

• Violent Conflicts

By Tractability

By Level of Intensity

- In

ten

sity

+

- Negotiability +

Conflict

Dispute

Course Structure

• How does this course approach the study of conflicts?– Interdisciplinary– Analytical– Personal

Perspectives in Conflict Studies: Framework for

Analysis

How do we know what course of action to

take when confronted with a conflict?

Palestinian boy in Nablus

The Four Perspectives Model

• There are four dominant perspectives through which conflicts and conflict transformation are typically analyzed.

Structural-Systemic Perspective

Emotional Perspective

Cognitive Perspective

InterestsPerspective

Anatomy of a

Conflict: A Framewor

k for Analysis

Structural Interest Cognitive Emotional

Core

Concerns

•Distribution of power & resources

•‘Built-in’ structural inequalities

•Underlying interests, goals and objectives

•Beliefs

•Schemas

•Frames

•Fear

•Loss and grief

•Rage

•Pathology

Goals Justice Integration or compromise

Reframing Healing

Conflict Management Techniques

•Revolution

•Re-distribution

•De-construction

Negotiation / mediation•compromise•bargaining•win-win

Facilitated contact

•Truth-telling•Public

Acknowledge- ment•Forgiveness

Homeless in Paris

• A Victims of Terrorism group protests in Madrid during the trial of a suspected member of the Basque separatist group ETA.

Protest of Guantanamo prisoners

Suicide bomber in Kabul, Afganistan

Group Work

• Discuss the conflict from each of the four perspectives. Which perspectives are most important?

• Which conflict resolution approaches flow from your analysis?

–All perspectives have important contributions to make but …. It is the conditions and contexts of the conflict that determine which has the best explanatory power

Premises for the Semester• Conflicts are a natural, inevitable and

essential aspect of social interaction.• Conflicts can be waged constructively or

destructively• Conflicts are socially constructed• Constructive conflict management begins

with being able to ‘see’ more than one perspective

• Insights about conflicts and conflict management can be applied across all levels of analysis.

• You can disagree with any of these premises

Questions / Comments?

• Assignment for January 25

UK police launch a major nationwide crackdown on illegal cannabis "factories".