Understanding &

Strategies in
Addressing Conflict

b
O

c
je

s
e
v
i
t

To

reflect on ones
understanding of conflict
To know why people differ and
how this leads to conflict
To develop a mindset and
behavior that promotes
understanding and peace
among different people
To realize the importance of
the youths role peace building

What is your perceived image of the

picture?

When we open our eyes do we

see the world as it is?

Why do people experience

conflicts?
What do you see?
Difference in perspectives can lead us
to conflict.
In order to make sense out of the
conflict, we have to make sense of
peoples different perceptions.
We can only see the other image if we
are to give up the first image we have.
Difference of perceptions is brought
about by different values, background,
interest, needs and methods/ways.

In

looking at a conflict
situation different people will
have different perspectives
Solving a conflict entails that
people should try to look at
the issue from different
perspectives.

Conflict can be
an opportunity to build better
relationship and to improve
our lives. In a sense conflict
is necessary to bring forth a
better condition.
It does have to lead to
violence
What is crucial is how we
handle conflict

Because of these natural and

acquired
differences,
we
discover
that
we
have
different
perspectives
or
wants
from
the
same
situation or issue.
PERCEPTION

CONFLICT

ISSUE

But conflict and disagreement can be

resolved without violence and may even
lead to an improved situation for the
conflicting parties. As noted by Rubin, et.
al. (1990), conflict brings good news:

1. Conflict is the seedbed that

nourishes social change.
2. Conflict facilitates the reconciliation
of peoples legitimate interest. Most
conflict end up in fostering the
mutual benefits of parties involved,
and
3. By virtue of the first two functions,
conflict foster group unity.

The

other beneficial effects of

conflict listed by Tjosvold
(1992), includes making
people aware of problems,
promoting necessary change,
improving solutions, raising
morale, fostering personal
development, increasing selfawareness, enhancing
psychological maturity and
fun.

Known conflict resolution

approaches
1.

Facilitation
Relatively informal, private process in
which the parties, with the assistance
of an impartial third party (facilitator)
identify problems to be solved, tasks
to be accomplished or disputed issues
to be resolved.
Facilitation may end there, or it may
continue in order to assist the parties
to develop options, consider
alternatives and endeavor to reach an
agreement

2.

Negotiation

Most prevalent conflict resolution

process
An exchange between people for the
purpose of fulfilling their needs
It focuses on gaining the favor of people
from whom they want something
It is analyzing and using information,
time and power to effect behavior
(meeting of needs) to make things
happen the way they want them to be
The objective is to create a win-win
situation

3.

Conciliation

Involves preparing and sustaining the

groundwork for parties to engage in
constructive communication relating to
divisive issues and broken relationship.
It requires:
Befriending building trust with the conciliator
and subsequently taking steps to rebuild trust with
the opponent.
Changing Perceptions the process of removing
psychological barriers that block mutual
understanding especially anxieties and fears
accumulated from years of history in the conflict.
Changing Communication style the process of
creating a new flow of information and messages
that provide more accurate presentation of peoples
understandings, concerns and intentions.

4.

Mediation

Relatively voluntary, informal,

private, democratic, collaborative
approach to resolving conflict,
with the third party (mediator) in
charge of the process but the
disputants are in charge of the
content (what is to be discussed)
and the outcomes (what is to be
agreed upon).

5.

Arbitration

Relatively public, formal, coercive

and adversarial process of resolving
dispute between two parties by a
third party or committee to which
the matter is referred to by the
disputants as a means of avoiding
war, a strike, a lawsuit, etc.
The arbitrator determines what is a
fair solution to the conflict based on
the merits of the opposing positions
and imposes a solution

6.

Adjudication

A public, formal, coercive and

adversarial process to
determine judicially a case
between two parties
The third party, usually a
judge, decides the case and
enforces the decision

Thank you
and
WASSALAM