Root Causes of Conflict

The last couple of days have been quite experiential.   We spent most of yesterday taking part in a practical negotiation exercise based around a Mitrovica hospital simulation.  It examined the use of game theory and the prisoner’s dilemma  in conflict resolution and it really brought out the practicalities of having “spoilers” who are heavily invested in trying to derail a negotiation process.  An exercise I will definitely be borrowing for home…

We spent this morning with Tom Woodhouse looking at possible creative aspects of conflict resolution.  The afternoon lecture from Irene Santiago examined the ideology and theory of Elise Boulding and Edward Azar along with a brief history of the Philippines. We also started to get a taste for the practical experiences of people in the room with YouTube clips from Afghanistan, Ghana and pacific islands near New Zealand.

Through Azar’s theory of Protracted Social Conflict it was highlighted repeatedly how the emotive power of identity can be used by “ethnic activists” and “political entrepreneurs” into seeking to justify the need for conflict.  From Boulding I will take away the Two basic paradoxical human needs: Our need to bond with others and our need to have our own space.

Irene Santiago talking about the work of Edward Azar