Good Studies Essay Example

Questions

Question 1.
“A Nested Theory of Conflict” Máire Dugan discusses about the nature of the conflict and different kinds of conflict situation. She states that the most important part in the process of making theory is the process of understanding the source of conflict. This is why she widens the models proposed by other theorists and divides the conflicts into four stages. Her theory includes issues-specific, relational, subsystem and system levels that form some king of hierarchy. System-level conflicts are the most interesting.
Máire Dugan used separation approach to divide the structural conflict into two stages. The first stage is called sub-system structural conflict and has its origins in rules, procedures, and traditions of particular societies or social organizations that possess elements of inequity. The second stage is called system-level structural conflict and has its source in inequities built into the social system. They are the result of human constructs. Subsystem level conflicts may reflect the conflicts of the broader system, meaning system-wide conflicts, bringing up such issues as racism, classism, sexism and homophobia. This means that subsystem conflicts may exist either on their own or be reflective of a broad historical inequity.
As a result, he separation of the tow levels of conflict gave Máire Dugan and opportunity to build her nested model of conflict and formulate a possible ways of its solving for conflict resolvers. Such an approach allows to find the roots of the conflict situation that often are hidden deep or refers to the past. The author of the theory made it possible to distinguish the inner nature of the conflict and to find out the cornerstones of some long-standing social misunderstandings.

Question 2.

There are lots of theoretical ideas about the separation of conflicts. I think there is no good one or bad one, each of them is correct but represents the nature of the conflict from one particular side. Thus, they all lack the integrity in the assessment of the conflict. However, this integrity could help the conflict resolvers to achieve better results.
Dugan built a nested model that includes such stages as issues-based, relational, subsystem and system conflicts. She focused on the nature of conflict and its complexity taking into account social misunderstandings and historical facts that may form the basis for the most hard-solved conflicts. Sandole distinguished such levels of conflicts as individual, societal, international and global. This model concentrates mostly on the key players who are responsible for the conflict, thus this is absolutely different perspective. Wehr's Conflict Map includes the conflict's history, the conflict's context and parties to it, the conflict's issues, the conflict's dynamics, goals and achievements and dynamics. This model represents the structure of the conflict situation. Mitchell uses a three pillars approach of conflict and conflict resolution. They are called conflict latent, conflict causes and conditions and conflict intervention. Thus, this model is quite broad and observes conflict from the perspective of its resolution.