Conflict Transformation :Understanding Conflict - D John Chelladurai

 

 Conflict Transformation 

Conflict is as old as human brain.  Humanity has been attempting, throughout the civilization, to solve its conflict, in a manner desirable to it.  These attempts loom across a large spectrum spanning between illegitimate methods (absolute violent conflict like murder, genocide and war) and more refined functional procedures (persuasive conversation, dialogue, dialectics towards mutually acceptable position like agreement,  accordance and consensus).

Contemporary life in a global village is very complex, so are the conflicts arising therein.  This calls for a refined response to conflict if we intend to build sustainable human society.

Conflict presupposes a prevailing relationship.  There can be no conflict between parties that are not connected.  Conflict actually means estrangement in relationship; a strain or an anomaly in the conduct of relation.  Attempts to resolve conflict is essentially to removing the strain and restoring relationship. For that reason, response to conflict has to be one of healing, than eliminating, to be one of inclusive, than exclusive.

 

This course offers a comprehensive exploration of conflict, in three segments:

a) ‘Understanding Conflict’,

b) ‘Cause of Conflict’ and

c) ‘Dealing With Conflict’.

 

These segments offer understanding of what is conflict, the constituents of Conflict, forms and factors of conflict, causes and sources of conflict and provides a four-A methodology of handling conflict.

  

Segment 1. Understanding Conflict

 

 I.                    Naming Conflict (Brain Storming)

Participants’ input: Conflict is :

Domination, oppression, control over others, their resources, opportunities, Superiority / inferiority         complex, competition - Prakhar

personality aberration,  impediment, restriction, confinement - Deepa Naik;  

narrow mentality / outlook - Reza Rafat 

terror, intimidation, social discrimination, political domination Basavaraj Akki); 

Elitism, Narcissism, Rigidity - Pietro U Macleo 

Stereotypes, Prejudices - Mafugi Ceesay

Fundamentalism, extremism, fanaticism - Alia Ruwa 

Economic hierarchy ; workers - management  issues - Abdoulie Njie  ….

 

Conflict has as many names as the number of forms it appears.  Contest, Contradiction, discrepancy, controversy, incompatibility, incongruity, inappropriateness, Difference, variation, irregularity, changeability, disparity, deviance, inequality, disproportion, Antagonism, quarrel, duel, hostility, enmity, feud…

Some conflicts take Physical forms: Fight, clash, encounter, battle, combat, violence, belligerence, Contest, struggle, resist, race, challenge, dispute, strike, demonstration, Morcha, picketing, bargain, war…

Some conflict are vocal; they are called Verbal Conflict: Heated discussion, argument, squabbling, debate, disagreement, difference of opinion, duel that invariable take the forms of scolding, shouting, screaming, verbal altercation. 

Teasing, Avoidance, Denial / Loss of Identity, Ignominy, Alienation, Discrimination, racism, Casteism (Intentional and unintentional). These are Emotional Conflict.

Within an individual/group there can be inner conflicts like:  Dilemma, quandary, catch-22, impasse, predicament, inconsistency, incompatibility.  These are called Inner conflict, and when occur within an individual, called Intra-personal conflicts.

Frustration, Aggression, Aggressive Action: arson, breaking / damaging property.

Exploitation, Discrimination, Murder, Arson, Rape, Segregation, No hold barred Conflict. These are acts that deny the victims their self-esteem, dignity and security.  By definition they are absolute conflicts.

 

II.     Defining Conflict

We are social being. Society is all about relationship.  Friction is an integral nature of relationship.

Conflict therefore is inevitable.

This conflict is defined in the following manner.

a)      When Dynamic Differences meet, the interaction is conflict.

b)     Conflict is ‘Difference between Expected and Actual’: eg. Expected employment and actual unemployment

c)      Conflict is Difference between Potential and Actual : gender discrimination for eg.

d)     Difference between Ideal and Actual.  Value appreciation vs. Non-adherence; belief in all being equal Vs. Treating others as inferior or superior : gender discrimination; Constitutional gap; our disappointment on things not being perfect….

 

III.   Types of Conflict

a.       Based on the Parties: Conflicts can be classified into intra-personal conflict (within a person); interpersonal conflict (between two individuals); group conflict (between two sets of people ; for eg., workers and management or neighbourhood clashes); civil war (widespread national unrest / strife);  international war (between two nations) World wars (between two groups of countries)  

b.      Based on the means of conflict: Conflict is grouped into, ‘Physical Conflict, Verbal conflict, Emotional conflict, Intellectual conflict, Institutional Conflict, Structural Conflict’.

 

Physical conflict (physical / instrument  using  arms / weapons); mental / Psychological conflict (argument; debate; logical rational strategic countering); Verbal conflict (using language: scolding, shouting, yelling, verbal abuse…); emotional (fighting on emotional ground: withdrawing cooperation / stop talking / ignoring…); Institutional (fighting through established channels or institutions: police, judiciary, grievance redressal cell;  community elders…)

 

c.       Based on the factors of conflict: Personality conflict (when we do not like the general personality of a person, there is likely clash); conflict of means; conflict of values; conflict of interest; conflict of goal…

d.      Realistic Conflict : Conflicts having definite direct cause – for instance, ‘she insulted me; my friend ignored me; the management discriminated some workers, when neighbouring countries provoke us, the conflict we wage is realistic.

e.       Non-realistic conflicts are those that arise out of no clear, direct causes.  A frustrated person fighting with every one; a drunkard fighting with people around; ventilating frustration on unrelated parties…

f.        Functional Conflict : Those conflicts which are helpful; useful conflicts – fight for justice, freedom, fight for truth)

g.       Dysfunctional Conflicts are those conflicts that destroy.  Conflict conducted violently between two families end up in loss of relation, death… War for instance is dysfunctional.

h.      Based on the Principles of conflict: Conflict is classified as  ‘Conflict of interest, conflict of goal, conflict of values’

 

 

 

IV.   Structure of Conflict: Conflict has a definite structure. Based on the nature of it conflict can be present in three structures.  PLO, ABC, and GAI

 

a.       Structure – I : PLO : Potential, Latent and Overt (manifest).

Potential Conflict: The presence of inherent causes but not consciously felt. Example: A self-satisfied slave; or a self-contented traditional subjugated wife, or a healthy man not realizing the tumor in stomach, does not realize that there is conflict.   However, when they come to know that they are exploited, discriminated, they begin to feel the heat.

Latent Conflict: The presence of conflict is consciously felt but not articulated / expressed; tension felt by parties without expression.  Example: when a suppressed community or traditional wife realizes that they /  she too have Human Rights then their present state of life starts hurting them.

Manifest Conflict: The expression of conflict. Example: When the empowered house wife articulates her grievance openly

 

Satyagraha proposes that  a conflict has to be addressed at its potential stage or latent stage.  Response to conflict after it has begun to manifest is ( too late) the same as fire fighting.  We can do only damage reduction. That’s a curative process.  Satyagraha gives priority on preventive process.  A stitch in time saves nine.

 

b.       Structure – II: ABC: Conflict Triangle-ABC

                                          Conflict Attitude: General outlook        

                                                                              Conflict Behavior

                                                                               Conflict Context:

                

Every conflict is determined by the party’s attitude, behavior and the situation / Context s/he lives. 

 

 

c.        Conflict Structure- III:  GAI:  Goal Actor Impediment.

The impediment (obstruction / hindrance) to the pursuit of Actor is called a Frustration.  The Actor’s extra effort to remove the obstruction from the path to his/goal is called Aggression.  Aggression can be physical, mental, emotional, Psychological or all combined in varied degrees.

I.                    Factors of conflict

 There are Twelve factors that together constitute a conflict.  They are: Actor, Alter, Issue, Means, Methodology, Goal, Intention(Purpose), Situation, Context, Values, Catalysts and Energy that govern… 

Parties to a conflict tend to generalize the conflict and see the other as an issue.  But it is only a factor or two that are defective, not the whole personality. If we can pin point the defective factor, the person may find it easy to deal with.  (It is like differentiating the disease from the diseased and particularizing the defective part so that treatment can be given to affected part instead of the whole body).

 

Catalysts: Qualities such as : Prejudice, stereotype, anger, hatred, enmity, selfishness, impoliteness, distrust are some of the catalysts, that augment any conflict that come on the way.

 

Prepared and shared By:  D John Chelladurai,  Prof. and Head, Dept of Gandhian Studies, MGM University; djohnchelladurai@gmail.com ; hod.gandhianstudies@mgmu.ac.in ; +91 - 94 219 25 146 (whatsapp)