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Constructive Conflict Guide > Civic Knowledge and Skills That We Can Use to Help Ourselves and Our Society More Constructively Handle Intractable Conflict > Stripping Away "Overlay" Problems That Make Conflicts Appear More Intractable Than They Really Are
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BI Article
Fact-Finding
If conflict is fueled by suspicion, assumptions and misunderstandings, then one of the simplest ways to defuse it is to find out the facts of the situation. Every conflict resolution process needs a solid base of facts to stand on, however it is often difficult to obtain accurate facts.
BI Article
Distinguishing Facts from Values
Facts and values are fundamentally different, but often confused. This essay examines the confusion clarify the two terms.
BI Article
Dealing with Risk and Uncertainty
Unavoidable risks and uncertainties make wise decision-making especially difficult. These difficulties are compounded by cognitive traps that lead us to believe that we have certainty when we don't. A better approach is to remain flexible and monitor changing conditions so that we can adapt quickly.
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Obtaining Trustworthy Information
When emotions are running high and everyone has an agenda, it can be very difficult to obtain credible information. This essay discusses the problem and how it can be addressed.
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Neutral Fact-Finding
Factual disputes are often a key component of larger conflicts. One way to deal with them is to get a neutral party to assess the opposing factual assertions for accuracy.
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Joint Fact-Finding
One way to resolve factual disagreements is joint fact-finding, which asks contending parties to work together to research the cause of their conflict.
BI Article
Oversight/Review Committee
One method for determining the trustworthiness of particular fact-finding efforts is an outside review. Here, an outside panel of experts checks a study for thoroughness, completeness, and objectivity.
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Truth Commissions
Truth commissions are official groups endowed with the authority to extensively investigate the human rights abuses and war crimes committed in a specific country or region during a specified time period.
BI Article
Living with Uncertainty in the COVID-19 Era
A succinct explanation of things we should all be thinking about as we struggle to deal with the uncertainties of the COVID-19 era.
BI Article
Fact, Value, Lie, or Uncertainty? How Do We Tell?
Sorting out "real facts" from "fake facts" gets more difficult all the time. But there are ways to do it. And it matters. Because facts can "bite you," even if you don't believe they are true.
BI Article
Uncertainty
When a conflict involves complex elements and unknowns, it is often a significant reason why the conflict becomes intractable in the first place. This essay offers suggestions for dealing with diversity.
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Defending Objectivity and Conducting Trustworthy and Trusted Analyses
Social issues are usually so complicated that we need to depend on experts to explain the "science" or the "facts" behind the issue. Experts must not only use good scientific methods to conduct their research; they must also be able to explain their findings to the public in understandable and trustworthy ways.
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Seriously Consider Alternative Views
We have a habit of believing things that reinforce our existing beliefs, and ignore, dismiss, or even ridicule ideas that are different from, or challenge those beliefs. However, seriously considering alternative views is essential for effective decision making and conflict resolution.
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Distinguish Factual vs Value Differences
Empirical facts about "what is" are very different from moral or value distinctions about what "should be." Clearly distinguishing between those two is essential for good decision making.
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Limit the Influence of "Fake Facts"
"Disinformation" or "fake facts" are everywhere. They are so ubiquitous, that it is almost impossible to figure out what is true, and what is not. But truth matters. Yet facts will come back to bite us if we get it wrong. So making the effort to sort through fake from real facts is essential to good decision making.
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Sensibly Deal with Uncertainty and Risk
One of the oft-misunderstood things about science is that it seldom can make pronouncements with complete certainty. Scientific findings almost always involve some degree of uncertainty, and a level of risk in decision making is unavoidable. So learning how to manage risk and uncertainty is important.
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Factual Disputes
Disputes over facts have always been present in technical and environmental conflicts. But the ease in creating "fake facts" has made these kinds of disputes much more common, and difficult to resolve, and it can be very hard for lay people to figure out which "experts" are speaking the truth, and which are not.
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Accurately Communicating Factual Information That People Can Use
Given the amount of disinformation floating around, people tend to distrust "facts," unless they reinforce what they already know, or at least come from a trusted source. Here is information about how to be such a source and how to communicate facts in ways people will understand and believe.
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Issue Analysts
We depend upon issue analysts to help us navigate complexities of modern society in ways that identify workable options for addressing problems and reliably assessing the strengths and weaknesses of each option.
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Technical Experts
Technical Experts investigate the extraordinarily complex challenges facing modern society -- things like climate change, inflationary pressures, or infectious diseases that can be very hard for the general public to see or understand. They help develop solutions to these problems, help non-experts judge the relative risks of different choices, and evaluate the likely results of different policy options.
Colleague Activities
How business can help address the American schism without touching political "third rails"
Historically, the U.S. has navigated political divisions by letting facts and data lead the conversation and working together constructively to engage multiple perspectives and work toward consensus and compromise.. Businesses do that all the time.
News and Opinion
The Approaching Disintegration of Academia
An article by Mark Godblatt, asserting that universities cannot withstand the assult on objective truth.