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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Module I
Understanding Peace, Conflict and the Culture of Peace
General Objectives: At the end of this module, participants shall be able to:
1. Learn the important role of technology specifically Information and Communications
Technology (ICT) as a tool for building understanding and resolving conflict.
2. Broaden, deepen and elicit their understanding of the concepts of peace, conflict, and the culture of peace.
3. Use existing internet resources to reach out and build better relationship with their fellow youth across distances.
Central to PeaceTech’s advocacy is a holistic education about peace and all its
aspects – understanding conflict, conflict transformation, peace building, and
the framework for a culture of peace. PeaceTech believes that a better
understanding of conflict, its dynamics and processes, encourages people to
be more open to the fact that conflicts can be addressed creatively. We believe
that understanding peace, both locally and around the world, is a necessary
step in promoting positive change.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
General guide in scheduling the training activities:
Activities/ Topic Time
allotment
Facilitator and/or
Resource Speaker
Preliminary Activities
8:30 to 9:30
Opening Prayer
• Muslim c/o Mindanao
• Christian c/o Manila
Welcome address
• includes background in PeaceTech
Getting to Know (Name Game)
• Participants and Facilitators in Manila
introduce themselves to Mindanao and vice
versa using the following info:
1. Name
2. Expectation to the program
Summary of participants’ expectations
Presentation of House Rules
Presentation of the General Workshop Outline
B R E A K
Topic 1. Introduction to Peace and Technology
Activity 1: Did you know (21st Century World)
Activity 2: Discovering PeaceTech
Topic 2. Fundamentals of Peace and Conflict
Activity 1: My Vision of Peace
Activity 2: Defining Peace and Conflict
L U N C H
Ice Breaker
Topic 3. Conflict Analysis
Activity 1: The Crocodile Story
BREAK
Closing Activity
Root Causes of Conflict
Wrap-Up/Closing/Assignments
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Topic 1: Peace and Technology
Activity 1: Did You Know?
Objectives:
To provide the participants a better perspective on how technology, particularly ICT can be
used as a tool for building understanding and peace.
Material/s:
• Did You Know 4.0 Video Presentation
• LCD projector, computer, and white screen
Procedure:
1. Facilitator begins the session by asking the participants to describe “the world of today “in
one word.
2. Play “Did You Know 4.0” video.
3. Group processing: Using participatory approach, discuss the video in a context of “Peace
and Technology” using the following guide questions:
� How did you feel about the video?
� What do you think is the effect of the internet to the Filipino youth?
� Do you think you are using ICT, particularly the internet for a good cause?
� In what way one can maximize the existing technology for building peace?
4. Synthesize by presenting situations in the Philippines where ICT and internet was maximized
to facilitate significant number of people or event.
Activity 2: Discovering PeaceTech
Objectives:
a. To introduce PeaceTech as a tool for building understanding and reducing conflict.
b. To familiarize www.peacetech.net
Material/s:
• PeaceTech promotional video
• Powerpoint presentation on PeaceTech background
• Internet connection for navigating the website
Procedure:
1. Show the PeaceTech promotional video.
2. Discuss PeaceTech programs (Education, Communication, Action)
3. Introduce and navigate www.peacetech.net
a. How to create an account.
b. Discuss the features of user’s account
c. How to make blogs and join the online discussion using www.peacetech.net
d. How to use the Chatter box
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Attachment:
Digital Media across Asia: Philippine Situation
Source: http://comm215.wetpaint.com/page/Philippines:+Social+Media
I. A Snapshot of Social Media in the Philippines
� A Young Nation: 70% of Philippines population is below 35 years. Naturally, Filipino internet
users are likely to be below 29 years old, single & better educated.
� Internet Cafes: 71% access the Internet via Internet cafes, 27% access it at home, 7%
access it at the office, 7% accessed it in school.
� Filipinos are social animals: 8 of the TOP 10 sites in the Philippines have a social
component (Source: Alexa, October 2009).
83.1% of internet users in the Philippines have ever created a social network profile, much
higher than the global average of 58.5%.
� Texting Capital of the world: Philippines is one of the Asian countries with the highest SMS
traffic. An average of 1 billion SMS-es are sent daily. Offline texting is also moving online; with
23% of Internet users regularly send text messages via the Internet.
(Source: www.universalmccann.com/Assets/wave_3_20080403093750.pdf)
II. Social Networking
The Philippines - The Friendster
Capital of Asia
90% of Friendster traffic comes from the
Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and
Singapore.
Friendster’s biggest stronghold is the
Philippines, with more than 12 million
active users per month. About 7,000
people showed up for a “Pinoy Friendster
Day” event at a Manila-area mall on Aug.
15 2009.
Friendster has 115 million members
worldwide, a far cry from the 300 million
registered members of Facebook, which
has quickly gained ground in Southeast
Asia.
(Source: www.thomascrampton.com)
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
III. Social Media Platforms
A. Facebook
� As of September 2009, the Philippines had 4,832,040 Facebook users, with growth of 1136.76% from Jan 09 - Sep 09.
� The Philippines ranks 13th in global rankings of Facebook users by country in absolute terms.
� And ranks 72nd in global rankings of Facebook users by country, by proportion of population.
The Philippines had the 5th most Facebook users in Asia as of April 2009 according to O'Reilly
Research, as seen in the chart below.
Growth of Facebook users over August 2009: The Philippines recorded the 2nd most growth in
Asia. Facebook users grew by 1.38 million people to 5.78 million monthly active users.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
B. Friendster
� Internet monitoring company comScore reports Friendster traffic in Southeast Asia dropped from 32.6 million unique monthly visitors in August 2008 to 13.7 million in August 2009.While during this very period, Facebook traffic rose rapidly from 24.8 million to 71.1 million. The time frame roughly coincides with Facebook’s rollout of several language-specific sites, including the Philippines and Malaysia in October 2009.
� Nevertheless, Friendster is still the 2nd most popular social networking site, and the 5th most
visited site in the Philippines.
TOP 5 Social Networks Sites
1. Facebook
2. Friendster 3. Multiply
4. Twitter 5. Tagged
(Source: Alexa, October 2009)
C. Social Media Platforms Made in the Philippines
Filipinos have been coming up with their own breed of social media tools. Sites like Pinoy Web Startup highlight Web 2.0 projects from the Philippines such as sulit.com.ph and moomai. Here are other Social Media Platforms made by Filipinos:
1. Website: Eskwela
� Description:
• Eskwela = School
• Eskwela is a networking site targeted at
Filipino students and university alumni
• More info on Eskwela: PinoyTech.Blog
2. Website: WikiPilipinas
� Description:
• WikiPilipinas is wiki-like site focusing
on Filipino/Philippines-related topics.
Based from the screen shot, they are
hoping to create different versions to
cater to the major dialects in the
Philippines. More info on
WikiPilipinas: Wikipedia, Inquirer,
Manila Standard Today
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
3. Website: i.ph
� Description:
• i.ph is a blogging platform and offers
web hosting services.
4. Website: yehey!
� Description:
• Not a social media tool, but Yehey
was one of the first local internet
portals and search engines
IV. Wikis
A Book for Every Child
Greg Moreno, the guy behind Schoolpad (a free websevice being used by public schools in the
Philippines to easily create their own website), has initiated another project called "Bayanihan Books".
Bayanihan Books is about asking a group of volunteers to collaborate and " produce content, and
then allow textbook publishers to bid for content that will eventually be ready for printing"
(Inquirer.net). Moreno has this to add from the Bayanihan Books blog:
"Since the materials from the Bayanihan Books are royalty free, there is no need for publishers to pay the authors. The publishers will only shoulder the printing costs. Given that there are 17.5 million students enrolled in public schools, I’m sure publishers can earn millions of pesos with a low-margin, high volume, guaranteed payment scheme. The government needs less money to spend, more students get the complete books, the publishers earn lots of money."
Moreno admits that it will take time to see the success of this project but he aims to get at least one textbook published for elementary level in the next couple of years. Bayanihan Books is currently looking for more authors to contribute. Because Bayanihan Books follows the "wiki" system, anyone can just create, edit and share content. And due to its collaborative nature with authors as well as reviews, the quality in the textbooks will be maintained. Although the content is no longer in the hands of publishers, Bayanihan Books still follows the guidelines set out by the Department of Education. This is an ambitious project, yet Greg Moreno has his vision set and is doing something special for the Filipino community, specifically the public school sector.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
V. Podcasting Source: pcij.org
The Philippine Center of Investigative Journalism is best known for their style of jounalism: "probing,
unflinching, nonpartisan."
Your Pinoy Podcast Source
FilipinoPodcasts.com is an online directory of podcasts producted by Filipinos. It includes topics such
as Entertainment, Education, Technology and Religion. The site also provides a link to the "History of
Pinoy Podcasting" written by Manuel Viloria.
VI. Microblogging Thanks to sites like PinoyTwitters.com and PinoyTwits.com it is now easier to track Filipinos who go and use Twitter. Although microblogging services like Twitter are mainly used by individuals, there are already communities, groups and companies that use Twitter for different purposes.
• @PhilMusic - provides website updates and news from PhilMusic.com - The #1 Philippine
Music Website.
• @RPNews - DYAB Cebu Philippines news radio station
• @ubelt - delivers updates from UBelt.com, a site covering college sporting events in the
Philippines
• @MensaPH - Twitter account for Mensa Philippines
• @upalumnia - for alumni of The University of the Philippines
• @lomomanila - Lomography-interest group in the Philippines
• @PhilNews - Selected Philippine news feeds from GMANews.tv and Inquirer.net
• @gmanewsresearch - Twitter account for GMANews.TV
• @tinig - E-zine for young Filipinos, Tinig.com
The popularity of microblogging seems to be increasing in the Philippines with more and more Filipino Twitter users being discovered by PinoyTwitter and PinoyTwits. Some are using it to update their friends, direct followers to their blog entries and share links they find online.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Summary: The World is Flat
Source: http://www.wikisummaries.org/The_World_Is_Flat
The World is Flat is an historical and geographical journey, with stories and anecdotes from
the days of Columbus to a modern day Indian call center; from the Great Depression to the home
office of a Midwestern-USA housewife demonstrating the pervasiveness of the world-flattening trend.
Spanning a broad range of industries, cultures and schools of thought, the real-world examples
presented as evidence of his theory are undeniable.
From teleconferencing to podcasts and manufacturing to restaurant order taking, The World is
Flat leaves no stone unturned in a quest for answers to a problem that most cannot even define.
Friedman’s dissection of globalization is a valiant attempt at explaining and understanding the forces
driving the flattening of the world, though he admits that the very nature of beast prevents one from
having all of the answers. This candor is in keeping with the theme of the entire book, in that we must
learn how to learn, teaching ourselves to stay curious and innovative, if we are to excel in a global
economy.
As he moves towards the end of this presentation of his theory, Friedman warns of the forces
that could seriously harm or slow the flattening of the world, particularly the threat posed by terrorist
networks such as Al-Qaeda. His perspective is refreshing in a media driven largely by scare tactics
and fear mongering as he encourages a realistic and objective approach to this threat.
As people become more able to collaborate, compete and share with others of different
cultures, religions, educational backgrounds and languages, The World is Flat is a necessary reality
check to bring these factors into perspective and offer, if not answers to every problem, the drive to
uncover working solutions.
Chapter Two – The Ten Forces That Flattened the World
We are introduced to Friedman’s interpretation of the ten influencing factors that led to globalization
and world flattening, the first being the falling of the Berlin Wall in 1989, which tipped the balance of
power across the world towards democratic free market and away from authoritarian rule. A second
flattener is identified as our ability to not only author our own content, but to send it worldwide with the
1995 launch of the Internet. Subsequently, free workflow software was developed, allowing people
from around the world to collaborate and work together on projects using a shared medium. As
Apache and Wikipedia came into play, we became able to develop and upload web content and
community collaboration became another flattening force. Preparations for Y2K required resources
beyond those available in the United States and as a result, we see that India became responsible for
a huge portion of these preparations. Offshoring, using the Chinese manufacturing sector as a prime
example, has forced other developing countries to try to keep up with their low cost solutions,
resulting in better quality and cheaper products being produced worldwide.
The seventh flattening factor is our introduction to supply chaining, which is discussed in much
greater detail later in Chapter Fourteen. Rounding out his list with insourcing, in-forming and “the
steroids”, Friedman examines his flattening factors, their origins and the effect they will have on the
way we do business in the future.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
List of Ten Forces
1. Collapse of Berlin Wall--11/89: The event not only symbolized the end of the Cold war, it
allowed people from other side of the wall to join the economic mainstream. (11/09/1989)
2. Netscape: Netscape and the Web broadened the audience for the Internet from its roots as a
communications medium used primarily by 'early adopters and geeks' to something that made
the Internet accessible to everyone from five-year-olds to eighty-five-year olds. (8/9/1995)
3. Work Flow Software: The ability of machines to talk to other machines with no humans
involved. Friedman believes these first three forces have become a “crude foundation of a
whole new global platform for collaboration.”
4. Uploading: Communities uploading and collaborating on online projects. Examples include
open source software, blogs, and Wikipedia. Friedman considers the phenomenon "the most
disruptive force of all."
5. Outsourcing: Friedman argues that outsourcing has allowed companies to split service and
manufacturing activities into components, with each component performed in most efficient,
cost-effective way.
6. Offshoring: Manufacturing's version of outsourcing.
7. Supply-Chaining: Friedman compares the modern retail supply chain to a river, and points to
Wal-Mart as the best example of a company using technology to streamline item sales,
distribution, and shipping.
8. Insourcing: Friedman uses UPS as a prime example for insourcing, in which the company's
employees perform services--beyond shipping--for another company. For example, UPS itself
repairs Toshiba computers on behalf of Toshiba. The work is done at the UPS hub, by UPS
employees.
9. In-forming: Google and other search engines are the prime example. "Never before in the
history of the planet have so many people-on their own-had the ability to find so much
information about so many things and about so many other people", writes Friedman.
10. "The Steroids": Personal digital devices like mobile phones, iPods, personal digital
assistants, instant messaging, and voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
Chapter Twelve: The Unflat World
• The world is flattening but is not flat
• Much of the world’s population lives in an “unflat world”.
• This can lead to humiliation and resentment
• Internet can be used as a positive or negative force.
• The best way to confront the negative is to face it head on and use it to “include” -- in
particular: to learn; to communicate; to validate and to empower.
Chapter Thirteen: Globalization of the Local
In this examination of the impact of globalization on world cultures, we learn that globalization
came to be seen by many as Americanization, creating a backlash by those who felt that they would
be steamrolled and homogenized into being mini-Americans.
But as new forms of communication and innovation create a global platform for the sharing of
work, entertainment and opinion, Friedman believes that globalization serves more to enrich and
preserve culture than to destroy it, as each person is given their own voice and vehicle of expression
through podcasts, websites, etc. The nature of the beast is such that the bad will always be there with
the good. As humanitarians and businesses connect online to share ideas, so too do terrorists and
predators.
• The internet does not mean “homogeneity.” It can mean the opposite: it can strengthen
individuality and culture
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
o Allows the user to “upload it to the world”!
o Allows more people to stay home in their own cultures
� Outsourcing means more Filipinos have jobs at home – less emigration
means cultures have better chance of surviving
o Allows people to watch programs and read newspapers in their own languages,
anywhere in the world
o Allows people to communicate more with their families and friends in their homes
• “Globalization of the Local”: Phenomenon that allows different communities around the world
to bond with their local cultures, news, friends and families no matter where they are.” P.508
• Example: Google: Now available in most languages. This allows people to use and enrich
their own languages in ways they could not before.
Chapter Fourteen: The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention
We begin with an in-depth study of the supply chain, using the purchase of Friedman’s own
computer as a case study. This leads to an examination of how geopolitical conflicts could derail or
slow globalization.
Friedman’s theory is that two countries invested in a business together by being part of the
same global supply-chain are less likely to go to war, as they are now heavily invested in the success
of the business venture. Any interruption to that supply chain would be critical. As we reflect on the
evolution of supply chains and the effect they have had on politics and the stability of countries they
affect, we remember that Asia, as opposed to much of the Middle East, has become more stable
because they are part of many supply chains and therefore more interested in doing good business.
Overall, the price of war is higher than it used to be and countries will have to consider the effect of a
war on their place in the business world. Friedman explores both the China-Taiwan relations and
India-Pakistan as examples of how the flattening of the world and supply chain have a calming effect
and cause countries to think rationally about the true cost of war, making diplomatic solution more
likely.
As we explore the darker side of the supply chain phenomenon, we understand how Al-
Qaeda and other terrorist networks form mutant supply chains for the purpose of destruction, not
profit. In a flat world, the transmission of terror is much easier. We must examine our abilities to derail
the nuclear threat by using our capabilities to disrupt the terrorists supply chain.
Chapter Fifteen: Imagination: 11/9 Versus 9/11
We begin by examining two significant dates in world flattening: 11/9 as an example of
creative imagination and 9/11 as destructive imagination. 11/9, with the destruction of the Berlin Wall,
was the door opening to a freer, flatter, and more democratic world, where 9/11 saw our world try to
snap shut against outside threat. This is Friedman’s call for positive creativity and giving people the
tools to do positive things with what is available through the opening of so many doors.
We see the innovation and creativity that Bin Laden put into his 9/11 plan, as horrible as it
was. Friedman concludes that the forces that flatten the world can be used to bring everyone up to
the same level, or to bring them all down to the same level. Those of us who live in free and
progressive societies must lead others to use their imaginations without allowing their imaginations to
get the best of them – or us. Technology cannot protect us; we must harness that technology and
decide how it will be used. This requires us to define the line between precaution and paranoia to
keep things in perspective in a flat world. We are called to remember who we are to avoid losing our
identity in a flat world. In exploring eBay as a virtual community, India as the second largest Muslim
country where the context and imagination are different than in other parts of the Arab world, and the
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
curse of oil and how it keeps countries from moving forward in other ventures, we learn about different
types of creativity.
Friedman reflects on his story of Aramex from Chapter Eleven as an inspirational closing
thought; one of a small Arab company that made it big in the world platform.
• Internet can be used towards good and bad ends.
• With the Internet: o The small can act big o Small acts have big effects
• We must use internet to do the following: o encourage positive action o validate peoples’ opinions o build relationships o build solidarity o give people a voice o give people a sense of belonging o empower people
• People who have the opportunity to connect to different ideas, cultures and religions will flourish. People who are disconnected and isolated will not.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Topic 2: Fundamentals of Peace and Conflict Activity 1: My Vision of Peace (Group Sharing)
Objectives:
To draw out the participants their vision of peace
Material/s:
• Drawing paper
• Crayola
• Masking tape
• “Heal the world” song
Procedure:
1. Ask participants to visualize and draw their ideals of Peace. It could be on a personal,
interpersonal, and community level. Play the song “heal the world” while the participants are
doing the activity.
2. Group sharing: Each participant shares his/her output.
3. After the group sharing, synthesize the activity by discussing the following points:
� All of us have our own idea of peace, which emanates from our personal lives,
relationships with family, peer groups, and communities
� These ideals should guide us in our daily life to strengthen our relationship with our
family, peer group, community, and God.
Activity 2: Defining Peace and Conflict
Objectives:
At the end of this activity, the participants should gain a deeper understanding of the
fundamentals of Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace.
Material/s:
• Meta-cards (Blue and Orange)
• Marking pens
• Masking tape
Procedure:
I. On Peace and Conflict:
1. On a separate meta-card, the participants should write a word that they think would describe
PEACE and CONFLICT. Meta-cards will be posted at the board under the categories of
Peace and Conflict.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
2. Randomly pick participants to expound on what they wrote.
3. Process the activity by discussing the fundamentals of Peace and Conflict:
a. Positive and Negative Peace
b. Levels of Peace
c. Defining conflict
d. Positive and Negative effects of Conflict
e. Violent conflict
II. On Culture of Peace:
1. Divide the group into two. Each group should come up with a presentation depicting their
ideal community. Presentation could be in a form of a dance, song, collage, etc.
2. Process the activity by highlighting that individuals have their own concept and aspiration of
an ideal community. This concept may differ depending on their background and needs.
3. Synthesize the activity by discussing the following:
� What is meant by the Culture of Peace?
� Creating a Culture of Peace
� Six Petals of Peace
Conclude Topic 2 by playing PeaceTech Video on “Understanding Peace and
Conflict”.
See the attachment
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Attachment:
A Holistic Understanding of Peace and Violence
An excerpt from “Peace Education: A pathway to a Culture of Peace” by Loreta Navarro-Castro and Jasmin Nario-Galace
A new way of thinking about peace is so important today. The power of our own
understanding and views of peace both as a condition and as a value cannot be underestimated. It is
because our ideas shape our feelings and our actions, as well as how we live and how we relate with
others. For this reason, Fritjof Capra, in his widely acclaimed book, The Turning Point, has argued for
the need for a change in thinking, about both concepts and values, as a necessary first step to solve
our many problems today (Capra, 1982).
Secular Views/Concepts of Peace and Violence
Early secular writings on the subject of peace indicate that peace was defined as merely the
absence of war or direct violence. This negative formulation was first given by Hugo Grotius in 1625
(Dobrosielski, 1987). The simplest and most widespread understanding of peace was that of absence
of death and destruction as a result of war and physical/direct violence, an understanding that was
used as the initial point of departure in peace research (Thee, 1982).
As late as 1966 the noted French thinker, Raymond Aron defined peace narrowly as a
condition of “more or less lasting suspension of violent modes of rivalry between political units”
(Barash, 1999). Like many others who preceded him, he defined peace as the absence of war or
other direct forms of organized violence.
However, an alternative view started to emerge, beginning with the late 1960s. Attention started to
shift from direct to indirect or structural violence, i.e., ways in which people suffer from violence built
into a society via its social, political and economic systems (Hicks, 1987). It was realized that it was
not only war and direct violence that caused death and disfigurement. Structural violence also led to
death and suffering because of the conditions that resulted from it: extreme poverty, starvation
avoidable diseases, discrimination against minority groups and denial of human rights. It was further
realized that a world marked by said conditions is a world devoid of peace and human security; it
breeds anger and generates tension leading to armed conflict and war. In this connection, Johan
Galtung, a renowned peace theorist and researcher, argues that structural violence occurs when the
wealth of affluent nations, groups or individuals is based on the labor and the essential resources
drawn from nations, groups and individuals who, as a consequence, are required to live diminished
lives of deprivation (Monez, 1973).
Toward a Holistic Concept of Peace and Violence
Over the past many years, peace workers have increasingly challenged this conventional
view of peace and have declared that “peace is not simply a lack of war or nonviolence; peace means
the eradication of all facets of injustice” (Cheng and Kurtz, 1998). There is a consensus that we need
to have a comprehensive view of peace if we are to move toward a genuine peace culture.
Johan Galtung explains that peace is the absence of violence, not only personal or direct but
also structural or indirect. The manifestations of structural violence are the highly uneven distribution
of wealth and resources as well as the uneven distribution of power to decide over the distribution of
said resources. Hence, he says peace is both the absence of personal/direct violence and the
presence of social justice. For brevity, he prefers the formulations “absence of violence” and
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
NEGATIVE DEFINITION Absence of direct/physical violence (both macro and micro)
PEACE
POSITIVE DEFINITION Presence of conditions of well-being and just relationships; social, economic, political, ecological
STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE e.g., poverty, hunger
SOCIO CULTURAL VIOLENCE e.g., racism, sexism, religious intolerance
ECOLOGICAL VIOLENCE e.g., pollution, over consumption
VIOLENCE
DIRECT VIOLENCE e.g., war, torture, child and abuse of women
“presence of social justice”, thinking of the former as one that is not a positively defined condition and
has called it negative peace, whereas the latter is a positively defined condition (egalitarian
distribution of power and resources) and has called it positive peace (Galtung, 1995) .
Indeed, peace researchers and educators now seem satisfied to split the concept of peace in
two, stating that the meaning of peace can be captured by the idea of a negative peace and the idea
of a positive peace. Negative peace refers to the absence of war or physical/direct violence, while
positive peace refers to the presence of just and non-exploitative relationships, as well as human and
ecological well-being, such that the root causes of conflict are diminished.
The non-exploitative relationships mentioned above refer not only to relationships between humans
but also to those between humans and nature. Peace with nature is considered the foundation for
“positive peace” (Mische, 1987). It is because the earth is ultimately the source of our survival,
physical sustenance, health and wealth; it is not possible to provide for human survival if nature’s
capacity to renew itself is seriously impaired. It must also be remembered that human behavior is
intimately related to the availability of basic resources (Barnaby, 1989). When a shortage of resources
threatens lifestyles or life itself, rivalry for resources can lead to aggression and violent conflict.
The diagram below summarizes the foregoing discussion on a comprehensive concept of
peace and also indicates the types of violence that correspond with the ideas of negative peace and
positive peace.
Figure 1: Defining Peace
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Pathways to Peace
NEGATIVE DEFINITION Absence of direct/physical violence (both macro and micro)
PEACE
POSITIVE DEFINITION Presence of conditions of well-being and just relationships; social, economic, political, ecological
PEACEBUILDING (Addressing the root causes) Structural Transportation
• Long-term development
• Effective governance
• Building of human rights institutions
• Building of dispute resolution processes
• Social justice
• Well being
VIOLENCE
PEACEKEEPING (Preventing Armed Violence)
• Negotiation
• Ceasefires
Relational and Personal transformation
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Our understanding of peace should also include the various levels of relationships, beginning with
personal peace and expanding to wider circles.
Figure 2: Levels of Peace
Peace between human beings and the Earth and beyond
Global Peace
Intergroup/National/Social Peace
Interpersonal Peace
Personal Peace
Self-respect, Inner resources,
Love, Hope
Respect for other persons: Justice, tolerance, cooperation
Respect for other groups within nation: Justice, tolerance, cooperation
Respect for other nations: Concern for human community
Respect for the environment: Sustainable living Simple lifestyle
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Climax stage
Escalation and institutionalization
Open Stage
Latent Conflict
Understanding Conflict
Source: Participation for Social Harmony (UJYALO) Program. http://www.carenepal.org/Knowledge%20Sharing%20on%20Peacebuilding/Data/IEC/English/Conflict%20and%20its%20Effects.pdf
Conflict and its Effect Meaning of conflict Different people or groups have different views and perception about various subjects that lead to disagreements. This divergence in thought evokes conflict. Conflict occurs when there is natural competition between two or more parties about scarce resources, power, and social position. In this struggle over values, power, and resources the parties disapprove the opponent’s goal and existence, thus creating conflict.
Levels of conflict Conflict is present at various levels. Conflict can be between two people, families and communities or at regional, national, and international levels. Our program addresses conflicts between people, families and communities.
Levels of
Conflict
Stages of conflict
It is important for us to understand the stages of conflict before implementing the programs of conflict management. Conflict develops and escalates through various stages. The stages of conflict are:
International National
Regional
Community
Family
Personal/Interpersonal
1. Indirect or Latent conflict: At this stage
the conflict is within the people involved but
is unexpressed.
2. Open conflict : At this stage the parties
involved express their disagreements. The
divergence in the parties is apparent at this
stage.
3. Escalation a n d p o w e r t u s s l e : At
t h i s stage the conflict escalates and
the opponents start using power. The
conflict turns into a violent one.
4. Climax or violent stage: This is stage where violent conflict is at its maximum. At this stage the
opponents look to eliminate one another.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Conflict often arises when people have underlying needs or
strong wants that aren’t being met, such as a desire for security, perhaps
independence or belonging. Conflicts also grow out of fears that something
valuable may be lost: a friendship, property, peace and quiet. On the
surface, a conflict may appear unrelated to these needs. But unless these
basic needs and wants are identified and dealt with, the conflict will
probably continue, along with growing frustrations, unless the situation
causing the conflict changes for other reasons (i.e., the person with whom
you are in conflict leaves.)
Sometimes, underlying needs are expressed through strongly held,
seemingly unchangeable positions. Picture, as an example, two long-term
employees equally determined to get a higher position in the company. This
can lead to an explosion of hostility that threatens the productivity of the
company. And sometimes, these needs and wants dictate a person’s reaction
(or overreaction) to a situation. You might greet someone with a harmless
remark like: “Hi’ya Joe, what’s new on the job?” only to unleash a wave of
anger. Would you guess that Joe just had a fight with the boss and lost his
job? You won’t always have full information about all the issues in any
encounter or conflict.
Hidden needs and agendas keep the conflict pot stirred. The
husband fights with his wife because he doesn’t want her to go to work,
claiming that it would harm their young child, when his real reason is a fear
that her independence and skills would threaten his own competence. In
response, she gets frustrated and resentful, instead of being able to address
his fears while meeting her own needs. You can surely think from your own
experience of how unspoken needs and wants contribute to conflict.
This is a key point in Rogers Fisher and William Ury’s popular
book, Getting Yes. They point out that many conflicts occur because they
get stuck in positions and then focus on upholding those positions, instead
of recognizing their underlying interest or needs of the parties involved.
Source: Scott, Gini Graham. Resolving Conflict (With others and within yourself).
Pasay City:Daughters of Saint Paul, 1995.
Effects of conflict The result of conflict is not always negative; it gives a positive effect as well. Positive effect A conflict gives positive effects if it is handled constructively. They are:
• Positive change in the society • Opportunity for newer possibilities • Renewal in relationships • Increase in productivity of all sectors
These effects of conflict will bring positive change that will aid in the development of the society. Negative effect The effects of conflict will be negative if proper conflict management is not done. The negative effects are:
• Increase in stress in people • Decrease in production • Degradation in relationships and worsening cooperation. • Restricted areas increase • Increase in the possibilities of violent conflict
These negative effects of conflict can lead to disintegration of society. So, importance must be given to timely interventions to resolve conflict.
In peace building process the programs need to focus mainly on the latent stage of conflict, which exist in the community. In the peace building process, we are mainly discussing the latent conflict in many other community development programs. The conflict resolution at the community level must be done after analyzing the state of conflict in the society. Main causes of conflict
• Disparity in access to and control over the resources and opportunity
• Unequal distribution of power • Violation of human rights • Poverty • Unmet basic human needs
Physical needs, security, identity, respect from others and self-respects are the basic human needs. Demands of the human being are unlimited. As soon as human needs such as food, clothes, and shelter are fulfilled human desire towards struggles for other higher needs such as security, identity, respect from others, and self-respect. This struggle creates conflict in the society. In most of the cases the struggle for rights and needs create more social disintegration.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Conflict and Violence
Conflicts are a natural part of person’s social life, but they become problems of violence
depending on the methods of conflict resolution used. Students can study the problems of violence in
various levels from the personal to the global and including direct, structural, socio-cultural and
ecological violence. They can also examine the roots and consequences of violence.
Conflict: Positive Outlook (Source: Education in and for Conflict, UNESCO Youth Education Unit)
• Diversity and difference are valuable in themselves. We live in one single world but one in
which plurality and diversity, in the context of cooperation or solidarity, are a source of growth
and mutual enrichment. Living this diversity implies differences of opinion, disputes and
conflicts.
• Without coming into conflict with unjust structures and/or the people that uphold them, society
cannot advance and adopt new paradigms. In other words, conflict is the main lever of social
change, something that we, as educators for peace, should consider to be one of our basic
objectives.
• Conflict is an opportunity to learn. If conflict is something inherent in human relations, learning
to act upon conflict has to be equally fundamental. If, instead of avoiding conflict or struggling
against it, we talked about it openly with the children, we could turn conflict into an opportunity
for them to learn how to analyze and confront it. Resolving conflict on their own will not only
cause them to take pleasure in agreement, it will give them a greater capacity to resolve other
conflicts in the future.
By “resolving” conflicts, rather than simply managing them, we mean the process by which we deal with them and even arrive at an understanding and resolution of their underlying causes. However, the resolution of one conflict does not mean that no more will arise. As long as we are alive, interacting and growing, conflicts will keep on cropping up and will give us opportunities to advance or fall back, depending on how we confront and resolve them.
Conflict as a Process
Conflict is not a single occurrence but a process. Its origin lies in needs (economic,
ideological or biological): this is the first phase. When these needs are satisfied, either because there
is no contradiction between them or because we have achieved sufficiently cooperative or synergetic
relationships, what we have defined as a problem does not exist.
When one party’s needs do clash with another’s, when the needs become antagonistic, the
problem arises. This is the second phase. By not confronting or resolving the problem, we open the
door to the dynamic of conflict. Other elements then get mixed in: mistrust, lack of communication,
fears, misunderstandings etc. Sooner or later, all of this will burst out in what we call the crisis - the
third phase - which generally takes the form of violence and is what many people identify as conflict.
One should not wait until this phase to confront conflict. In fact, this is the worst point at which to
resolve conflicts in a creative and non-violent manner; still less is it the right time to try and learn to do
so. This is the very moment at which none of the conditions for a positive resolution of the conflict
exists: time, tranquillity, detachment... This is the moment when the conflict has become biggest and
most unmanageable: it blows up in our face and we have to deal with it immediately. As a result, we
don’t think, we don’t analyse what is happening or why, we don’t consider what resources we may
have or look for alternative solutions, but only react - almost always in the manner we have been used
to, although it is a negative one and we don’t like it. Even afterwards, we don’t necessarily think about
what has happened.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
If we keep on waiting for conflicts to reach the crisis stage before we begin to resolve them, it
will be difficult to reach a true solution. Just as conflict is a process that may take some time to
develop, its resolution, as previously defined, must also be seen as a process and not one discrete
action that will do away with all the problems. It is a process that we can and must initiate as soon as
possible so that when conflict arises, we shall be already trained and will have prepared and
assimilated more positive responses.
Attitudes to Conflict
There are five main attitudes to conflict. Before we get to the stage of resolving conflicts, it
would be valuable to discover what our own attitudes and others’ may be. When we analyse our own
attitudes, we often discover with surprise that our attitude to conflicts is avoidance or accommodation
and that is the reason why our conflicts are never resolved.
� competition (I win/you lose): a situation in which getting what I want, asserting my
objectives and goals, is the most important thing, even though in doing so I have to tread on
someone else’s toes. The relationship is unimportant. In the competition model, when it is
taken to its ultimate expression, the important thing is for me to win, and the easiest way to do
that is to make sure the other person loses. Sometimes this “loss” does not mean only that
the other person fails to achieve his or her objectives, but that the person is eliminated or
destroyed (death, annihilation). In the educational field, we seek to eliminate the other party
not through death but through exclusion, discrimination, contempt, expulsion, etc.
� submission (I lose/you win): so long as I do not confront the other party, I do not assert or
advance my own objectives. This model is as widespread as competition or more so, in spite
of what we may think. Often we confuse respect with good manners, with not asserting our
rights because that could provoke tension or discomfort. We keep on bearing up until we can
no longer do so, then destroy ourselves or destroy the other party.
� avoidance (I lose/you lose): neither the objectives nor the relationship are catered for and
both are lost. We do not confront conflict, we “stick our heads in the sand” out of fear or
because we believe that the conflict cannot be resolved through our unaided efforts.
However, as we said earlier, conflict has its own dynamic and once it has begun it never
stops on its own.
� cooperation (I win/you win): in this model, achieving our own objectives is very important,
but the relationship is, too. The model has a lot to do with something that is inherent in non-
violent philosophy: the end and the means have to be consistent. This is the model towards
which we try to direct the educational process, one in which only I win/you win solutions are
acceptable, so that everyone wins. Cooperation is not accommodation, nor does it mean
giving up what we see as fundamental. It is possible to negotiate without giving in completely,
and in fact we must learn not to yield on fundamental points. It is something quite different to
yield on less important points.
� negotiation: to reach full cooperation is very difficult, and for that reason another model is
usually proposed in which both parties try to win on the most important points, though they
cannot achieve outright victory. Some people, when they speak of negotiation, are actually
thinking about a mere tactic in the competition model. If either of the two parties leaves the
table with a feeling that they have not won their main points, we are not in the negotiation
model but the competition or accommodation model.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
VIOLENCE
Consist of actions, words, attitudes, structures or systems that cause physical, psychological,
social or environmental damage and/ or prevent people from reaching their full human potential.
(Fisher et al, Working with Conflict)
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
FORMS OF VIOLENCE (Adapted from the matrices formulated by Toh Swee – hin and Virginia Cawagas, and Ake
Bjersted)
Level Form of Violence
Personal
Interpersonal/ community
National
Global
Direct/ Physical
Suicide
Drug Abuse
Domestic violence Violent crimes
Civil war
Violent crimes Human rights abuses
Conventional war Nuclear war Human
rights abuses
Structural/
Economic, Political
Powerless
Local inequalities Poverty, Hunger
National inequalities Poverty, Hunger
Global inequalities Poverty, Hunger
Socio-cultural/ Psychological
Alienation
Low self- esteem Anxiety
Prejudice/
Enemy images Cultural domination
Racism Sexism Religious
intolerance
Prejudice/
Enemy images Cultural domination
Racism Sexism Religious
intolerance
Prejudice/
Enemy images Cultural domination
Racism Sexism Religious intolerance
Ecological
Over-
consumption
Over-consumption
Pollution
Over-consumption Pollution Chemical and Biological Warfare Nuclear Power radiation
Over-consumption Pollution Chemical and Biological Warfare Nuclear Power radiation
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Culture of Peace
Holistic View of Peace and Peace Education
Loreta N. Castro, Center for Peace Education, Miriam College
The United Nations has proclaimed 2001 – 2010, as a decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-
violence for the Children of the World. Indeed, this first decade of our new century has to be a
new beginning. The last century has been full of the horrors of war and other forms of violence.
Now as we begin the 21st century, we are challenged to replace this culture of violence with a
culture of peace.
In confronting this challenge, we realize that education is an important asset and a principal means
available to us to build a culture of peace. Indeed, education is the heart of both personal and
social development and surely it can be an instrument in energizing us to work for a more human
and peaceful world.
What Is Meant By A Culture of Peace?
A holistic vision is articulated by UNESCO in its Declaration on a Culture of Peace. A culture of
peace is a set of values, attitudes, traditions, modes of behavior and ways of life that reflect and
inspire:
1. Respect for life and for all human rights;
2. Rejection of violence in all its forms and commitment to the prevention of violent conflict by
tackling their root causes through dialogue and negotiation;
3. Commitment to full participation in the process of equitability meeting the developmental
and environmental needs of present and future generations;
4. Promotion of equal rights and opportunities of women and men;
5. Recognition of the rights of everyone to freedom of expression, opinion and information;
6. Devotion to the principles of freedom, justice, democracy, tolerance, solidarity,
cooperation, pluralism, cultural diversity, dialogue and understanding between nations,
between ethnic, religious, cultural and other groups, and between individuals.
It can be gleaned from the foregoing Declaration that peace is not merely the absence of
war and direct violence. It also means absence of structural or indirect violence manifested by
the highly inequitable distribution of power and resources. Peace is a holistic concept consisting of
two main ideas: the idea of a ‘negative peace’ which refers to the absence of war and other forms
of physical violence, and the idea of ‘positive peace’ which refers to the presence of non-
exploitative relationships or conditions of justice and well-being such that the root causes
of conflict are diminished.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
CREATING A CULTURE OF PEACE
Some Ways of Building Peaceful Relationships and Systems Dr. Jasmin Nario-Galace, Center for Peace Education, Miriam College
• Promote nonviolence
• Refuse to harm or kill another
• Use moral appeal, force of love and positive techniques vs. physical force
• Use nonviolent conflict resolution methods, e.g. dialogue, problem-solving approach to negotiation (vs. armed conflict)
• Use nonviolent methods to obtain justice, not through the “eye for an eye” dictum
• Reject violent video games and media programs as well as war toys.
• To gain respect, give it
• Respect for the life of each human being and other life forms in Nature
Remember that differences should enrich us and not divide us; find the common ground. Learn about cultures by taking part in intercultural and interfaith events Reject racism, ethnocentrism, sexism, religious intolerance
• Care for the Earth, our common home
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair, Refuse
• Plant trees, make compost, etc.
• Work towards disarmaments
Share your time, knowledge, money, ideas and experiences
Practice acts of kindness and fairness
Support organizations and mechanisms
for economic equity.
• Uphold human dignity
• Respect human rights – especially victimized women, children, minorities, etc.
• Fulfill basic human needs
• Encourage democratic participation
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
6 Petals for Peace (Toh Swee-Hin and Virginia Floresca-Cawagas; Educating Towards a Culture of Peace)
1. Demilitarization - Dismantling the culture of war means ending militarism, whether
nuclear or conventional, and ending other manifestation of violence, including the
symbolic media violence, war toys, and including violence in the home.
2. Ending Structural Violence - Living with compassion and justice means calling on
all peoples and all nations, especially in the industrialized North, to work for just and
participatory development to overcome the wide disparities between North and South
and the wide disparities within nations, and to challenge globalization and the power of
elites (TNC’s and Int’l Financial institution).
3. Protecting Human Rights - Lighting the candle of dignity stresses the courage
demanded of those who uphold and promote human rights in the face of continuing
violations by governments and by powerful elites.
4. Fostering cultural solidarity - Harmony among cultures calls for deep understanding
and respect for and the sharing of wisdoms, identities, and knowledge between and
among different cultures can have strong roots in political and economic injustices and
require redress, as well as healing and reconciliation.
5. Environmental care- Caring for the seven generations reminds us of the profound
indigenous wisdom of indigenous teachings on the importance of living in peace with
mother earth, and, hence, of the need for development that promotes sustainability not
environmental destruction.
6. Personal peace - Renewing the roots of personal peace emphasizes the synergy that
arises from profound inner peace and gives strength to peace-building and to a
spirituality that transcends the alienation caused by consumerism.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Some Peaceful Alternatives for Creating a Culture of Peace
An excerpt from “Peace Education: A pathway to a Culture of Peace” by Loreta Navarro-Castro and Jasmin Nario-Galace
1. Disarmament - Learners can be introduced to the goal of abolishing war and reducing global
armed forces and armaments. It is good for them to see the folly of excessive arms and
military expenditures and the logic of re-allocating resources toward the fulfilment of people’s
basic needs (e.g. food, housing, health care and education). This is a springboard for the
exploration of the meaning of true human security which springs from the fulfilment of both
basic needs and higher needs of humans (e.g., the exercise of fundamental freedoms).
2. Nonviolence - Learners can study the philosophical and spiritual underpinnings of
nonviolence as well as its efficacy as a method to effect change. Cases of individuals and
groups who have advocated nonviolence as a philosophy and method can be examined.
Some of these are Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Aung San Suu Kyi, Thich Nhat
Hanh, Desmond Tutu and Wangari Maathai.
3. Conflict Resolution, Transformation and Prevention – Students can study effective ways
of resolving conflicts non-violently (e.g., collaborative problem-solving) and how these can be
applied into their lives. They can move on to examine how a conflict that has been resolved
can be transformed into a situation that is more desirable. Ways to prevent conflict can also
be explored because as Johan Galtung has said, like in the medical field it is better to prevent
than “remedy a situation that has gone wrong.”
4. Human Rights - It is important for learners to have an integral understanding of human rights
and to reject all forms of repression and discrimination based on beliefs, race, ethnicity,
gender and social class. They should be encouraged to respect the dignity of all especially
the weak and powerless.
5. Human Solidarity - Many commonalities bind together divergent religious, cultural, local and
national groups. All humans have common basic needs and aspirations and a shared
membership in an interdependent human/ global community. We have only one home (planet
earth) and a common future. The major world religions also have shared values and
principles. Students can look at how to increase inter-religious, inter-cultural and inter-group
trust, empathy, respect and cooperation, as well as discourage stereotyping and prejudice.
6. Development Based on Justice - Learners can be made critically aware of the realities and
tragic consequences of structural violence and how a philosophy of development based on
justice is a preferred alternative. They need to understand that development is not economic
growth alone but also the equitable sharing of its fruits.
7. Democratization – It is important for learners to understand that democracy provides the
environment within which people’s fundamental rights, interests and wishes are respected.
8. Sustainable Development - Learners need to understand the interdependent relationship
between humans and the natural environment and understand the changes that are
necessary to ensure the well-being of the earth’s ecosystems such that it can continue to
meet future and present needs. They need to rediscover the wisdom of our indigenous
peoples who have always respected nature.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Topic 3: Conflict Analysis Activity 1:
Objectives:
To learn the basic tools on conflict analysis and use it to examine existing conflict in the
community.
Material/s:
• Manila paper
• Pentel pen
• Hand-out: Tools in conflict Analysis
Procedure:
1. Present the Crocodile Story.
2. Let the participants discuss “who among the characters is the worst? Use the discussion as a
spring board to introduce conflict analysis:
� What is conflict analysis?
� Why do we need to analyze conflict?
� Introduce the following tools: a. The Onion (or Doughnut), b. The Conflict Tree, c. The
ABC Triangle and d. Conflict Mapping.
3. Divide the group into four. Each group uses one tool to analyze the conflict within their
community in the context of Muslim and non-Muslim relations. The output of this activity will
be presented by the group representative.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Attachment:
The Crocodile Story
An excerpt from Panagtagbo sa Kalinaw
The river is full of crocodiles. On one side of the river lives a charming girl named Lisa. On the other
side of the river is a charming boy named Arturo. They love each other very much. But they could only
meet each other once a month, as they still have to go downstream to the bridge.
One day, Lisa felt that she had to see Arturo immediately. So she went to Lucio who owned a boat.
Lucio agreed to ferry her across the river on the condition that she would sleep with him that night.
Lisa could not bear to think of being unfaithful to Arturo but she had to see Arturo that day and there
was no other way to get to the other side of the river fast.
So she went to Maria to ask her to intercede in her behalf to Lucio but Maria rejected her. Finding no
alternative, she slept with Lucio that night. In the morning she was able to see Arturo. Arturo, upon
knowing what happened after Lisa’s confession, rejected and repudiated her. Crying, Lisa went to
Abdul to talk to Arturo to take her back. Abdul talked to Arturo but the latter was quite firm in not
wanting to be with Lisa again. Hotheaded as he was, Abdul mauled Arturo and left him half-dead.
Who among the characters is the worst?
Discussion points:Discussion points:Discussion points:Discussion points:
Most conflicts arise from misunderstanding and absence of dialogue. Conflict is social in nature and
so it is very important that we value the process of dialogue, of reaching out to others, interacting and
relating with others.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
POSITIONS (What we say we want) INTEREST (What we really want) NEEDS (What we must have)
CONFLICT ANALYSIS
Source: Simon Fisher et al.. Working with Conflict. Tools for Conflict Analysis. pp 17-31.
What is CONFLICT ANALYSIS?
• a practical process of examining and understanding the reality of the conflict from a variety of perspectives
• a way to help us a) find out more about what is going on in a conflict; b) identify areas we need to know more about a conflict and c) begin to see ways in which we can influence the situation.
• can be done with the help of a number of simple, practical and adaptable tools and techniques.
Why do we need to analyze conflict?
• to understand the background and history of the situation as well as current events
• to identify all the relevant groups involved, not just the main or obvious ones
• to understand the perspectives of all these groups and to know more about how they relate to each other
• to identify factors and trends that underpin conflicts
• to learn from failures as well as successes
Conflict Analysis is not a one-time exercise. It must be an ongoing process as the situation is developing, so that one can adapt ones actions to changing factors, dynamics and circumstances.
Tools of Conflict Analysis
A. Tools in Understanding Relationships of Parties in Conflict
1. THE ONION (OR THE DOUGHNUT)
This approach is based on the analogy of an onion and its layer. The outer layer contains
the positions that we take publicly. Underlying these is our interest – what we want to
achieve from a particular situation. Finally at the core are the most important needs we
require to be satisfied.
Purpose:
• To move beyond the public position of each party and understand each
party’s interests and needs.
• To find the common ground between groups that can become the basis
for further discussion.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
2. THE CONFLICT TREE
This offers a method for a team, organizations, community or group to identify the issues that each of them sees as important and then sort these into three categories: 1) core problem(s), 2) causes, and 3) effects.
Purpose: • To stimulate discussion about causes and effects in a conflict.
• To help a group to agree on the core problem. • To assist a group or team to make decisions about priorities for addressing conflict
issues. • To relate causes and effects to each other and to the focus of the organization.
EFFECTS
CORE
PROBLEM
CAUSES
3. THE ABC (Attitude, Behavior, Context) TRIANGLE
An analysis of factors related to attitude, behavior and context for each of the
major parties. Purpose: o To identify these three sets of factors for each of the major parties. o To analyze how these influence each other
o To relate this to the needs and fears of each party
o To identify a starting point for intervention in the situation. When to use it?
o Early in the process to gain greater insights into what motivates the different parties.
o Later to identify what factors might be addressed by an intervention. o To reveal how a change in one aspect might affect another.
The ABC Triangle Behavior
Attitudes Context
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
4. CONFLICT MAPPING
A visual technique for showing the relationships between parties in conflict.
Purpose:
• To understand the situation better
• To see more clearly the relationship between parties
• To clarify where the power lies
• To check the balance of one’s own activity or contacts.
• To see where allies are
• To identify openings for intervention.
• To evaluate what has already been done.
When to use it?
• Early in a process, along with other analytical tools.
• Later to identify possible entry points for action or to help the process of strategy-building
KEY: In mapping, we use particular conventions. You may want to invent your own.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Closing Activity
Activity 1: Root Causes of Conflict
Objectives:
To examine and discover how the “SELF” can inflict conflict and promote peace.
Materials:
• Marking pens or chalk
• Board
Procedure:
1. Ask the participants to list down all the root causes of conflict that they can think of. Use the
board for this activity. Challenge the participants to write down as many root causes as
possible.
2. Use mapping as a method to connect/relate each item in the board until you arrive to the
SELF as a root cause of conflict.
3. Synthesize the activity by highlighting the important role of oneself in inflicting conflict and
promoting peace. It is therefore important that the individual develops a strong moral
foundation to keep oneself morally upright.
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Module 1: Formation Workshop Day 1 (Understanding Peace, Conflict, and the Culture of Peace)
Assignment to be presented before Module 2 Starts:
1. Manila participants will be paired with Mindanao participants. Ideally a Christian is paired with
a Muslim.
2. Note: Participants will know each other more through their PeaceTech account.
3. Each participant should create an account at www.peacetech.net to add his/her assigned
partner on his friends list.
4. Online discussion must revolve on the following:
a. Key learning from the Day 1
b. Personal experience of discrimination either as perpetrator or a victim.
Note: Use PeaceTech Chatter Box for the discussion.
5. Participants should write a journal about his/her experience with his/her partner. The journal
should be uploaded on the participant’s PT account under “Opinion”.
Note: Blogs uploaded can be viewed by clicking the “our world” tab at the lower right
corner of the website.