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Rajendran Britto
THINKING CRITICALLY
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No parts of the world today have been left out without some sorts of conflict. Conflict is not a natural phenomenon but it occurs in many aspects. Conflict does not come with particular age, people or place.
There are so many conflicts which we encounter right from the beginning of human life and till our death. Conflicts are found in families, schools and workplaces, and they differ according to the person and the situation where one lives in. Conflict in our life comes due to the differences that we have with oneself, others, with groups and with other nations. In ordinary life people get into conflict situation due to misunderstanding, misinterpretation and miscommunication. On the other hand, Dianna Booher classifies five major categories of causes for conflicts.
They are conflicts over personalities, goals, values, circumstances, and conflict over facts. When these are not compatible within oneself and others the conflict acquires its way out. Conflict at once may look very negative to many of us. In itself it is not bad thing, but all that matter is how we handle it. Handled properly, conflict can bring changes in the people and in the society if not it will be harmful and bring disaster in the society.
Sometimes we avoid conflicts with the philosophy that we maintain peace. What Dorothy Thompson (1934), the American journalist and broadcaster, said must be noted clearly: “Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict - alternatives to passive or aggressive responses, alternatives to violence.”
Conflict is like a butterfly, the more we chase the more it flies. Ignoring, avoiding or suppressing the conflicts will only worsen the situations in any parties or groups concerned. To find the solution for the conflicts one must find out the causes behind these conflicts. Once the causes are clear we can take steps and solution that are healthier to the people involved. In any conflict situation one need to see what can be done instead of blaming and finding fault with the people involved. After having categorized the kind of conflicts that are involved one will have clear underrating of what next. Scholars suggest different ways on conflict resolution.
Thompson suggests four basic conflict resolution models such as accommodation, compromise, overpowering and collaboration. Nevertheless, the first three models have their disadvantages. Collaboration model can serve the best of all these models in conflicts resolution. Because, collaboration involves not just a solution to the problem or the confused situations rather it concentrated with human relationship.
Mary Parker Follett, known for her human psychology and industrial management has a proposition which is strongly related to Thompson that, “There are three ways of dealing with difference: domination, compromise, and integration. By domination only one side gets what it wants; by compromise neither side gets what it wants; by integration we find a way by which both sides may get what they wish.”
At the moment conflicts have become common in the world political affairs than ever before. The Arab uprisings in recent times and changes in the politics are the best examples.
Coming home, day in day out we find a number of conflicts in political parties. On common ground conflicts is of assistance to know the opinion of the people involved in the conflict, discover higher values and bring the changes needed for the parties involved.
The ideology differences which emerge out of one’s value will surely benefit the group, party or at least the individual who is drawn in. Very often, if not always the history of world has changed positively due to the conflicts.
The recent conflicts in the political parties make us to think that whether it strengthening or shattering the party or politics in general. Just over hearing the talks of the people in commuters or in the market place we can conclude it is all about selfishness and power for positions.
If egocentricity is occupying the mind of the leaders in politics people can expect nothing more than a perennial troubled situation in the politics and country. There is no room for the development at all.
Conflicts in politics are growing day by day. If not handled properly we may have to pay the price of it which is not known as of now. According Dr Luboslav Kmet, a conflict management specialist, media need to be in forefront in practicing peace journalism which will open up the way on how to handle the conflict situations different levels.
The entire problem under the sun has got solution. We need to take time and analyse to get the right solution for problems that we come across. Let us remember the words of Max Lucade that “Conflict is inevitable, but combat is optional.”
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