Conflict Resolution And Prevention John Burton Pdf Editor
Analyzing the East Timor conflict by way of applying William Zartman's notion of `ripeness' and John Burton's `basic human needs' not only proves indispensable. Conflict: Resolution and Prevention. New York: St Martin's. Google Scholar. Burton, John, 1993. `Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice', pp. The second part of a set of four volumes seeking to provide an historical and theoretical perspective for consideration of theory and practice in conflict resolution and prevention. The other volumes cover resolution and prevention, and readings and practices in management and resolution.
In Conflict Resolution Theory and Practice: Integration andApplication. Ed. Dennis J. D. Sandole and Hugo van der Merwe.Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press, 1993. Pp.55-64.
Summary by Mariya Yevyukova.
Copyright ©1997 by the Conflict ResearchConsortium
John Burton begins his essay with the discussion of theconceptual differences between disputes and conflicts. He startsby distinguishing between dispute settlement and conflictresolution: while a dispute evolves around conflicting, butnegotiable interests, conflict develops around nonnegotiableissues of basic human needs deprivation. Settlement impliesnegotiated or arbitrated solutions, while resolution is concernedwith satisfaction of basic human needs of all parties involved.The confusion about the terms and their conceptual meaning hasled to a differentiation between international disputes andconflicts and domestic disputes and conflicts. Conflicts anddisputes have been regarded as interchangeable terms.International situations have been considered more serious thandomestic, and the term 'conflict' has been applied tothem more often. In reality, these assumptions have led toserious policy mistakes. Since it has been assumed that domesticissues do not produce 'conflicts' which cannot behandled by the higher authority of the state, the same model ofintroducing a central power was thought to be applicable to theinternational system. A standing international force was proposedto be under the jurisdiction of the Security Council.Fortunately, this was not realized. Recent ethnic wars provedthat many global conflicts are the results of the spilling overof internal conflicts. Thus, 'we are forced to theconclusion that conflict is a generic phenomenon that knows nosystem boundaries' (p. 56). The conceptual understanding ofdisputes and conflicts presented above provides us with twoframeworks for conflict analysis: one is that of evolving aroundconflict situations with negotiable issues and requiring judicialtreatment or arbitration, and the other developing around thesituations where compromise is impossible and requiringanalytical problem-solving.
Power-political realism versus behavioral realism
The author traces two conceptual frameworks outlined above tothe concepts of 'political realism' and'idealism' that emerged several decades ago. What wascalled 'political realism' was mainly the applicationof coercive strategies for handling conflicts which went back tofeudal times. In the cases when this practice failed (wars,revolution), it was believed that not enough power was applied.Political realism proved to be unrealistic and self-defeating.Idealistic thinking was leaning toward cooperative relationships.Neither of the two approaches had a theoretical basis. The resulthas been that 'power politics has failed domestically andinternationally, but no alternative has been articulated andapplied as policy' (p. 57).
From subjectivity to theory-based objectivity
Without a theoretical basis, the meaning given to suchconcepts as 'justice' or 'human rights' issubjective. For example, 'democracy' defined as themajority government controlling ethnic or class minorities isperceived as unjust and produces conflicts. In order to have anobjective basis for conceptual definitions, we need a theory ofbehavior. Such a theory originated in the book 'NeedsTheory' (Lederer, 1980). Its authors presented the image ofa person who, due to his or her ontological needs, cannot be'socialized into the requirements of an institution'(p. 58). The new theoretical paradigm suggests that insitutionshave to adjust themselves to basic human needs. Ontological humanfactors 'which cannot be subjected to authoritativecontrols' are placed at the core of the theory (p. 58).Since coercive power cannot contain them for a long time, a newstrategy of satisfying basic human needs in order to resolveconflicts has been created. Based on this theory, such conceptsas 'justice' or 'democracy' obtain theirobjective meaning as related to 'conditions that satisfyhuman needs of identity, recognition, and autonomy, all of whichimply equity' (p. 58).
Political experience
The conflicts in Eastern Europe are examples of the failure ofauthoritative social institutions to accommodate the human needsof ethnic groups, such as recognition and autonomy, leading toviolent struggle. Another example is drug and gang violence,which are consequences of social deprivations. Societies have toacknowledge the failure of power methods and come up withstrategies of satisfying violated human needs.
Problem-solving conflict resolution
Burton suggests that scholars in their social analysis have tomove from institutions as the main units of their research topersons and, based on this, create political theory.Problem-solving conflict resolution is a process that utilizessuch an approach. The procedure of problem-solving conflictresolution includes the following steps: analysis of the partiesand issues; bringing the parties at the negotiation table todiscuss their relationships; establishing an agreement about whatthe problems are and acknowledging the costs of the formerconduct (human needs violation); and an examination of possibleoptions.
Conflict provention
The goal of problem-solving conflict resolution is not tomerely remove the causes of the discord (conflict prevention) butalso to create conditions for cooperative relationships (conflict'provention'). Conflict resolution differs fromsettlement in that it tries to predict future relationships andformulate policies at the core of which the poltical philosophyof human needs satisfaction as the main goal of the society isplaced. The author provides an example of possible development ofthe situation in South Africa between whites and blacks, if it ismanaged through problem-solving.
Alternative dispute resolution.
ADR works closely with courts providing an alternative toadjudication. It is different from problem-solving in that it isbased on the assumption that all conflicts and disputes can beresolved by application of laws to them or by some kind ofnegotiation. Even though most of the conflicts resolved throughADR involve negotiable issues, many of them contain hiddenelements of human needs dissatisfaction. The author believes thatthere is a need for a real alternative to courts that canincorporate the problem-solving approach. He goes further insuggesting that the judicial process itself should be changed ifproblem-solving is to be institutionalized. There is also a needfor alteration of the institutions that deal with human needssatisfaction. Incorporation of the problem-solving approach inADR and the legal system would develop the knowledge required forchange.
Crisis in capitalism and communism.
John Burton Advocates For Youth
The author concludes that both the capitalist and communistsystems failed. Capitalism led to increased inequality, which inturn created social and economic problems. The Communistidealistic assumption of working not for a reward but for thesocial good could not work under conditions of demand forconsumer goods. Both systems relied largerly on authoritarianregimes and the assumption that people 'can be socialized orcoerced into required behaviors' (p. 62).
John Burton believes that one of the problems of pastpolitical systems was that they did not have mechanisms forpeaceful system change. Thus, 'conflict resolution processesand conflict prevention policies could be the means for peacefulchange' (p. 63).
Conflict Resolution And Prevention John Burton Pdf Editor Pdf
Conflict resolution as a political system
Disputes can be resolved through the use of ADR and otherinstitutionalized means. The situation with conflicts is morecomplicated. Here conflict provention becomes a priority.Political philosophy has to incorporate conflict resolution whichis applicable to any economic and political system. It isexternal to any ideological framework. Problem-solving andconflict provention are the missing parts needed for peacefultransformation of troubled societies.
A summary
Dispute settlement does not constitute a problem anymore. Newtechniques have been developed in dispute managment in recentyears. The legal system itself might change to include more ofthe parties in dispute. Conflict resolution has not received asmuch attention though. It is capable of dealing with bothdomestic and international conflicts, as well as in operating indifferent economic and political systems. Its analyticalproblem-solving techniques provide insights in understanding thecauses and nature of conflicts. But these are not the main tasksof conflict resolution. The major promise of it is conflict provention.Both goals promote conditions for peaceful transformation of thesocietites toward social harmony.
Analyzing the East Timor conflict by way of applying William Zartman's notion of `ripeness' and John Burton's `basic human needs' not only proves indispensable for pointing out the personalities, forces and dynamics that might contribute to a negotiated outcome of the East Timor conflict, but also to how these notions might be applied to intractable conflicts more generally. This paper argues that a means of breaking out of the present impasse in negotiations concerning the East Timor conflict is to create what Zartman calls the `ripe moment'. It is argued that the missing ingredient for the `ripe moment' in the case of East Timor is what Zartman calls a `formula for a way out'. Central in the development of such a formula is that parties build upon `basic needs' which they mutually recognize - `Type 1 needs' - and defer to a later stage of negotiations those `basic needs' where disagreement is found - `Type needs'. After criticizing Burton's notion of basic needs and the distinction intended to deal with the criticism of Burton's theory, it is argued that the likely initiators of the `formula for the way out' in the case of the East Timor conflict are what are referred to as pro-autonomy East Timorese. The significance of developing such a formula lies in its potential to become a focus of negotiations between the Indonesian government and representatives of pro-autonomy East Timorese - negotiations that are supported by the international community and expatriate East Timorese political organizations.
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