![]() |
International Online Training Program On Intractable Conflict |
Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado, USA |
Many intractable conflicts involve fundamental value disagreements of some kind--religious differences, lifestyle differences, moral differences. These beliefs are so fundamental that people will not compromise or change to meet the other side half way. They will not accept behaviors their religion says is wrong no matter what another person or group of people thinks. This makes compromise extremely unlikely in value conflicts.
However, there are usually additional values that both sides have in common--for instance the value of peace, or the value of human life. Sometimes a third party can help disputants identify such a common value and reframe their disagreement in a way that can help both groups work together to attain their common values, rather than focusing on the areas of disagreement. More information on ways to do this may be found in the write-ups on Finding Commonality and Humanization.
Copyright ©1998 Conflict Research Consortium -- Contact: crc@colorado.edu