Intractable Conflict
Intractable
conflict occurs once destructive disputes endure for long periods of time and defy
every effort to resolve them constructively (Deutsch, Coleman, &
Associates, 2006). The nature of the
conflict, an imbalance of power, instability, the relationship of the parties
involved, culture, and gender variances may escalate the dispute and enhance
the difficulty of achieving a favorable resolution. As time progresses, intractable conflicts often
attract the participation of several parties, become progressively more
complicated, and may threaten basic human needs or values (Deutsch, et al., 2006). This has the potential to lead to violence,
rape, murder, or bloodshed. “Most
intractable conflicts do not begin as such, but become so as escalation,
hostile interactions, sentiment, and time change the quality of the conflict.”
(Deutsch et al., 2006, p. 534).
Intractable
conflict may be resolved if the disputants are able to:
“adapt to the
conflict situation, survive the stressful period, and struggle successfully
with the adversary. The formal termination of such a conflict begins with the
elimination of the perceived incompatibility between the opposing parties
through negotiation by their representatives—that is, a conflict resolution
process” (Bar-Tal, 2000).
The effectiveness of conflict
resolution depends on the disputants’ ability to “change in the conflictive
ethos, especially with respect to societal beliefs about group goals, about the
adversary group, about the ingroup, about intergroup relations, and about the
nature of peace” (Bar-Tal, 2000). A
desire for harmony, trust, acceptance, cooperation, and consideration of mutual
needs between the opposing parties must exist.
The disputants must be willing to overlook their tumultuous history and
commence to work constructively in effort to mend their damaged relationships
and environments (Deutsch et al.,
2006).
References:
Bar-Tal, D. (2000). From
Intractable Conflict to Conflict Resolution to Reconciliation:
Psychological
Analysis. Political Psychology, 21(2),
351-365.
Deutsch, M., Coleman, P.T., Marcus,
E.C., (Eds.). (2006). The Handbook of Conflict
Resolution: Theory
& Practice. (2nd ed.). San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
