Constructive Framing and Future Visioning
6. Civic Knowledge and Skills
In hyper-polarized, destructive conflicts, there is a tendency to frame the conflict in very simple, us-versus-them terms, and imagine "solutions" to your problems as being ones where the other side (i.e., the "bad guys") either give up and agree to what you want, or somehow disappear. Needless to say, this seldom happens. In order to deal with such conflicts effectively, one must first, "complexify" your view of the conflict, coming to understand, first, that there are likely many causes, including, most often, things your own side has done or is doing. You then need to envision a different future that has room both for your side and for the other side. In other words, it is important to develop a vision of the future that all disputants can at least accept. Ideally, it should be one that they help frame, help build, and will want to live in such a future world along with you. This is the introductory section on framing and future visioning. Much more information is available in the underlying folders.
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