Battle Of Algiers Essay

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Introduction Conflict resolution has emerged to be a field whose theory and practice are pacing real-world events. It is of significance to understand the phenomenon of conflict to be able to establish the means of bringing the conflict under control and to bring out insights and concepts capable of bearing on actual conflicts. Hereby, conflict resolution relates to theories and approaches that can be useful in enhancing understanding of conflict and the practice of reducing violence and enhancing political processes to harmonize interests. This paper seeks to analyze the film, The Battle of Algiers, from a perspective of the theory of conflict and theory of identity. Films provide valuable illustrations of conflicts and conflict resolution making them useful in understanding conflicts. Movie Summary The film, The Battle of Algiers, directed by Gillo Pontecorvo mirrors the struggles experienced by Algeria for the nation to gain …show more content…

The differences in the cultures, shared history, beliefs and basic values between the occupying French and the locals worsen the conflict, as the issues being addressed are rather intangible and ambiguous. Based on such differences, the locals and the occupying French assigned themselves identities to their adversaries and themselves, contributing to the development of the notion that the fight was between “us” against “them.” In the conflict, the French assumed a particular identity that conflict with the very survival and basic needs of the identity of the locals. This prompts bad blood between them. In the end, the identity characterization pans out in the conflict. The best example of the extent to which the aspect of identity arises in the conflict is a scene where various NLF women take away their veils and wear like Europeans to appear like Europeans. Such would enable them manage to penetrate the territory of their French enemies where they would plant

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