BI ArticleSee the Complexity It's not Just "Us versus Them"
It is impossible to effectively confront a conflict if you don't understand what is going on--in all its complexity.
Parent (Previous) Guide Folders
Constructive Conflict Guide >
The Complex Factors That Make Intractable Conflict So Difficult
______________________
BI Article
See the Complexity It's not Just "Us versus Them"
It is impossible to effectively confront a conflict if you don't understand what is going on--in all its complexity.
BI Article
System Levels
This is drawn from an article written by Kenneth Boulding in 1956. The ideas, largely forgotten, are of utmost importance to modern systemic peacebuilding.
Related Folders
Complexify Worldview
Many of us assume that most of our socioeconomic and political problems are caused by the other side, if not one particular person on the other side. While some people with a lot of power can, indeed, be very problematic, the system is always much more complex than one "bad guy." We need to develop a much more complex and nuanced sense of the conflict system we are in, recognizing that there are multiple causes (often including "us") that are contributing to any particular problem.
Related Folders
Pursue a Complexity-Oriented Approach
It is not enough to abandon simplistic, us-vs-them thinking. We need to develop and embrace realistic strategies for working at the daunting scale and complexity of modern society.
BI Article
Glenda Eoyang: Crush the Arrogance of Certainty
COVID-19 and our response to it is a complex adaptive system. To respond effectively, we need to adapt to uncertainty.