BI ArticleConflict Core and Overlay Factors - Part I (Video&Transcript)
The more that eight "core factors" are present, the more likely a conflict will become intractable.
Parent (Previous) Guide Folders
Constructive Conflict Guide >
The Complex Factors That Make Intractable Conflict So Difficult
______________________
BI Article
Conflict Core and Overlay Factors - Part I (Video&Transcript)
The more that eight "core factors" are present, the more likely a conflict will become intractable.
BI Article
Identify the Core Issues
Conflicts have two kinds of issues: core and overlay. This video reviews elements typical of the core, using US immigration as an example.
BI Article
The Core Causes of Intractable Conflicts
Intractable conflicts such as between Israel and Palestine are rarely just about surface issues such as land or religion. At the core of most intractable conflicts is a tangle of issues threatening the most vital interests of the parties. This essay describes some of the common causes underlying many intractable conflicts.
BI Article
Unmet Human Needs
Human essentials go beyond just food, water, and shelter. They include all those things humans are innately driven to attain, such as love, dignity and safety. Some theorists argue that most intractable conflicts are caused by the drive to satisfy unmet needs.
BI Article
What Makes Conflicts Intractable?
An overview of the many "core" and "overlay factors" that tend to make conflicts intractable. The more there are, the more likely intractability will occur.
Subsidiary Folders
High Stakes Distributional Issues
These are arguments about who gets what when it really matter and splitting "it" in half won't work. Who gets the land, the job, the elite college admission -- when failing to get it seriously harms one's life and long-term prospects for success and happiness.
Subsidiary Folders
Moral and Value Issues
Intractable moral conflicts tend to arise when one group views the beliefs and actions of another group as being so fundamentally evil that they exceed the bounds of tolerance and must be blocked or denied.
Subsidiary Folders
Unmet Human Needs
Human needs go beyond just food, water, and shelter. They include all those things humans are innately driven to attain, such as love, dignity and safety. When fundamental needs are absent, those denied will usually fight until their needs have been secured.
Subsidiary Folders
Status Issues
Closely linked to identity and security, status is also related to issues of power, dignity and hierarchy. In many societies, there is a perpetual struggle between those at the top and those at the bottom, with equality a very elusive goal.
Subsidiary Folders
Inequitable Power-Sharing
The more unequally power is distributed, the more conflict tends to ensue, unless the power of the tyrannical ruler is so complete that his subjects dare not fight back. Even then, however, the powerful can only rule as long as his supporters (particularly his army) stands with him. If they rebel, regime change is likely, even for the apparently most powerful leaders.
Related Folders
Constructively Handling Disputes That Can't Be Resolved with Mutually Acceptable Agreements
This section focuses on constructive strategies for handling the tough issues that arise in cases where win-win, agreement-based solutions don't exist, or when some groups demand more than their fair share.
BI Article
Identify the Core Issues
Conflicts have two kinds of issues: core and overlay. This video reviews elements typical of the core, using US immigration as an example.