 |
International Online Training Program On Intractable
Conflict
|
Conflict Research Consortium, University
of Colorado, USA |
Failure to Understand An Opponent's Perspective
Glossary | Menu Shortcut Page
This is a very common problem. People in conflict often assume that everyone sees the
situation the same way they, themselves, do. They fail to recognize that other people are
in different situations, and have different interests, needs, values, and experiences. For
these reasons, it is actually uncommon for people on both sides to define the problem in
the same way.
These different perceptions make good communication extremely important. However, good
communication is usually absent in conflict situations. People often cut off
communications with the other side, which limits the parties' ability to learn enough
about the opponents' view of the situation to make an effective response. Instead they
tend to act based on assumptions and stereotypes. When these are wrong, such actions are
likely to be ineffective (at best) and highly destructive or counter-productive (at
worst).
Links to Examples of this Problem:
- Gareth Evans - Iraq's Invasion of Kuwait in
1990: A Failure to Use Preventive Diplomacy
- In this analysis, Evans argues that the U.S. and the Arab community misunderstood the
Iraqi perspective on the Persian Gulf situation in 1991.
-
- Roger Fischer, Elizabeth Kopelman and Andrea
Schneider - Explore Partisan Perceptions
- This is a short, but effective illustration of how people can be unaware of the
possibility that others might see the same situation differently.
-
- Alexander George- United States-Japan
Relations Leading to Pearl Harbor
- This is another story which illustrates that the failure to understand an opponent's
perspective can have severe consequences.
-
- Andrea Williams - Resolving Conflict in a
Multi-cultural Environment
- This is an article which illustrates the way in which cultural differences can lead to
misunderstandings.
-
- Donald
Bossart - Rhodesia to Zimbabwe: Lessons for Mediators
- This article highlights the misconceptions about the opponent and the conflict itself in
white-ruled Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe.)
-
Links to Possible Treatments of this Problem:
Links to Related Problems:
Copyright ©1998 Conflict Research Consortium -- Contact: crc@colorado.edu