Intercultural Conflict Transformation

What is conflict? It is a difference that matters, one that becomes a dividing line between “us” and “them” or between competing claims over fairness, law, or morality. Conflict is often about perceived struggles over material resources or incompatible goals, but it can also exist beneath the surface in relation to divergent worldviews. Because not all conflicts are manifest, subterranean tensions can emerge in ways that seem sudden or unexpected. Conflict frequently escalates through miscommunication and poor listening, especially in instances where power appears to be unevenly distributed.

This entry examines the relationship between conflict and culture, the role of power in conflict, strategies for resolving differences, and core intercultural competencies for conflict transformation.

Systematic studies of conflict are relatively new, becoming common only after World War ...