Transformative conflict resolution just as conflict transformation refers to the processing of transforming the attitude, interests, behavior or relationship between disputing parties. This article highlights some of the alternative dispute resolutions in conflict transformation and cites case examples in each.
Peace building
According to Lederach, mediation and advocacy are the stages of a conflict transformation process but to other conflict theorists, advocacy and mediation are the opposite of each other. To Lederach, activism is important in the early stages of a conflict as it helps raise people’s awareness of issues. Activism uses non-violent advocacy to confront a conflict and once awareness is raised, mediation is then used to transform
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Transformative mediation’s main goal is the empowerment and recognition of the parties. It is the interaction between disputants that matters.The rift valley region of Kenya was the worst hit area during the post - election violence. The conflict in the region was between the Kikuyus and the kalenjins. This was because after the disputed elections, the incumbent president Kibaki- a kikuyu was sworn in despite the allegations that the election resultshad been manipulated. The kalenjins, most of whom had voted for RailaOdinga and therefore felt aggrieved. After the violence, there were multiple peace teams advocating for peace and reconciliation between the two tribes. These peace teams sought to empower the two communities and have them recognize their own needs and situation as well as the needs and situation of the opposing side. Such teams, for example The African Great Lakes Initiative(AGLI) tried to talk separately to these tribes. There were stereotypes from each tribe, kalenjins viewed kikuyus as arrogant people who take up their jobs and push prices of commodities up, while kikuyus said kalenjins were lazy, stupid, haters and murderers. These peace teams explained the stereotypes to the opposing sides and they began to understand each other. Meetings were arranged between the two communities and trust began to be built. The peace teams did follow-ups on the mediation efforts and the trust was fully built. This was evident from the way the two communities voted peacefully in Kenya’s 2013 general elections and continue to live together in
In Chapter One of Emerging Systems for Managing Workplace Cnflict: Lessons from American Corporations for Managers and Dispute Resolution Professionals, authors, David Lipsky, Ronald Seeber, and Richard Fincher (2003) lay the foundation for the rest of the book. They provide historical background on why corporations have shifted from dispute resolution to conflict management and stress the fact the “substantial dissatisfaction” that must drive companies to change how they handle dispute resolution (Lipsky, Seeber, & Fincher, 2003, Chapter 1, Inclination to Change). In addition, the authors articulated the differences between dispute management and conflict management (Chapter 1, Litigation, Dispute, and Conflict Management), detailed the five characteristics of an integrated conflict management system, listed the eight essential elements of a fair conflict management system, and pointed out other characteristics that effective conflict management systems share (Chapter 1, The Concept of a Conflict Management System).
College life can be quite the adjustment for most new students. When entering the collegiate atmosphere, there are new, sometimes unspoken, social rules and norms. With so many new social elements for students to acclimate to, already difficult situations, such as any form of conflict, are often particularly difficult to address. Fortunately, with a clear understanding of the various forms of conflict management, new students can learn to effectively communicate regarding any subject matter they may encounter.
Conflict Resolution: Understand to Achieve. Whenever people unite to work as a team for anything more than a brief duration, some conflict is normal, and should be expected (Engleberg, Wynn & Schutter, 2003). Because of the inevitability of conflict, being able to recognize, address, and ultimately resolve it is vitally important, since unresolved conflict may have undesirable effects, including reduced morale, or increased turnover (De Janasz, Dowd & Schneider, 2001). Just as conflicts within team environments vary, so do methods for resolving them.
Pruitt, Dean G, and Sung Hee Kim. Social Conflict: Escalation, Stalemate, and Settlement. 3rd ed. 2004. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2004.
“The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of struggles,” Karl Marx. The social conflict paradigm explains how each society has inequalities. Social conflict focuses mostly on racism, sexisim, ageism, socioeconomic inequality, ect. It also features how most societies are corrupt with power and greed. Along with how the elites and government controls us using things such as education and the media.
Conflict theory is a perspective derived from the work of Karl Marx, who believe that society is a dynamic entity and it is constantly undergoing changes driven by class conflict, who holds different interests, ideas and values, for competing scare resources and aiming to maximize their own-benefits. According to the founder of conflict theory, Karl Marx, society are divided into two category: the have and the do not have, the latter is dominated by the former ones who are those people with power in hands and with the greatest political, economic and social resources. Conflict theory assumes that society makes the norms to serve the interests of the powerful.
Conflict Management can often be the toughest task for a leader to handle. It involves dealing with inter-personal and intra-personal conflict. As a team leader of a technical event called Pulse’09 at my university, I had to deal with conflicts on a regular basis. Conflicts usually arise either due to lack of effective communication, different ideologies, lack of resources or due to task interdependence [3]. It was by far my most life changing experience as it taught me the reason behind conflicts and the way to resolve them. In this paper, I will be talking about the way I dealt with conflicts and managed them, the impact they had on the team performance and what I could do to improve my leadership by contrasting my experience to the class readings.
Ott, Marvin C. "Mediation as a Method of Conflict Resolution: Two Cases." International Organization 26.04 (1972): 595-618. JSTOR. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.
Many people enjoy working or participating in a group or team, but when a group of people work together chances are that conflicts will occur. Hazleton describes conflict as the discrepancy between what is the perceived reality and what is seen as ideal (2007). “We enter into conflicts reluctantly, cautiously, angrily, nervously, confidently- and emerge from them battered, exhausted, sad, satisfied, triumphant. And still many of us underestimate or overlook the merits of conflict- the opportunity conflict offers every time it occurs” (Schilling, nd.). Conflict does not have to lead to a hostile environment or to broken relationships. Conflict if resolved effectively can lead to a positive experience for everyone involved. First, there must be an understanding of the reasons why conflicts occur. The conflict must be approached with an open mind. Using specific strategies can lead to a successful resolution for all parties involved. The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument states “there are five general approaches to dealing with conflict. The five approaches are avoidance, accommodation, competition, compromise, and collaboration. Conflict resolution is situational and no one approach provides the best or right approach for all circumstances” (Thomas, 2000).
A group can only be called a team if the members are actively working together toward a common goal. A team must have the capability to set goals, make decisions, solve problems, and share responsibilities. For a team to be successful, trust must be earned between its members by being consistent and reliable (Temme & Katzel, 2005). When more than one person is working on a particular task, inconsistent views or opinions commonly arise. People come from different backgrounds and live through different life experiences therefore, even when working towards a common goal, they will not always see eye to eye. Major conflict that is not dealt with can devastate a team or organization (Make Conflict Work, 2008). In some situations, conflict can be more constructive than destructive. Recognizing the difference between conflict that is constructive to the team and conflict that is destructive to the team is important. Trying to prevent the conflict is not always the best way to manage conflict when working within a team setting. Understanding conflict, what causes it, and how to resolve conflict effectively, should consume full concentration.
They argue that conflict resolution is necessary and desirable to change, emancipation and transformation. They differentiate, therefore, between conflict resolution and conflict transformation. For Critical Theorists, conflict resolution is appropriate for resolving open conflicts, while conflict transformation addresses the underlying root causes of conflicts that are not necessarily clear. By emphasising conflict transformation as a necessary process, the Critical Theorists however, ignore the fact that in other situations there is an overlap between the two
workplace include greater total resources, greater knowledge band and a greater source of ideas. However, these advantages can also bring on conflict within teams and the entire workplace. Varney (1989) reported that conflict remained the number one problem within a large company. This was after several attempts were made to train management in conflict resolutions and procedures. However, the conflict remained. The conflict possibly remains because the managers and leaders did not pay attention to the seriousness of the issue. In order to maintain an effective team, leaders and team members must know and be proactive in the conflict resolution techniques and procedures.
According to McShane and Von Glinow, conflict is “a process in which one party perceives that his or her interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party” (328). The Conflict Process Model begins with the different sources of conflict; these sources lead one or more parties to perceive that a conflict exists. These perceptions interact with emotions and manifest themselves in the behavior towards other parties. The arrows in the figure illustrate the series of conflict episodes that cycle into conflict escalation (McShane and Von Glinow 331-332).
Conflict is unavoidable and connected to a world where different ideas and opinions are challenged. Negative conflict occurs when voices are not expressed appropriately, discussions are not in control or different parties reject moving forward with a solution. There is difficulty resolving disagreements because there are multiple reactions to disputes. However, a positive conflict supports debates without a destructive outcome. They improve communication, introduce principles that are important to others, and reduce chaos. On the other hand, the approach that a person uses to address conflict dictates the outcome they receive. Methods for resolving conflict include avoiding the problem, smoothing out a situation, competing against the ideas
The perception of transformation is the change from one state to another. Conflict transformation in more specific terms is the transition through various stages. Primarily, conflict transformation takes place through the underlying stage to confrontation to negotiation to vibrant, peaceful relationships. The purpose of this essay is to choose a historical or contemporary situation in which conflict transformation has taken place in the past and/or continues to occur. In my assignment I will research the origins, causes and current status of the conflict. I will identify what has been done and/or is being done to address the conflict in a transformative manner today. I will assess this particular situation with reference to two of the structure or process models covered in this course. I will develop a plan for further action, based on structural and process models discussed in this course. Finally I will integrate Lederach’s time frame and see if I can bond it with this particular case.