Abstract
Social conflicts- conflicts in which the parties are individuals or an aggregate of individuals- are unavoidable instances of life. What causes social conflicts, however, remains a subject of contention. Scholars across various disciplines have come-up-with different theories to explain the causes of social conflicts. Generally, each theory attempts to look at the causes from a particular perspective or discipline such as economics, sociology, psychology, political science or socio-biology. Nonetheless, conflicts, as complex social phenomena, defy single explanation. They are aggregate results of myriad sets of causes, which transcend beyond the comprehension of one or more theories or perspectives. It is, however, conceded that each theory can help explain a cause or a combination of causes that would contribute towards a comprehensive understanding of social conflicts. This reflection paper aims to critically examine theories on causes of social conflict discussed under James Schellenberg’s book entitled Conflict Resolution: Theory, Research, Practice. These are: individual characteristics theories (Chapter 3), social process theories (Chapter 4) and social structure theories (Chapter 5). First, I will briefly discuss the basic tenets of the theories, which will be followed by critical examination of the theories. Finally, some concluding observations will be drawn from the analysis.
I. Discussion of the Theories
Individual characteristic theories, which are
Conflict resolution exist in every society. Conflict more often than not occurs due to a clash in interest in the relationship between, groups,
In this paper I will discuss the conflict that is occurring at General Hospital, the conflict management styles that are evident in the case, and how General Hospital could have used teams to address the cost reductions needed to stay competitive. I will also describe how the CEO of General Hospital, Mike Hammer can us negotiation skills to get buy-in for the cost reductions and finally I will recommend a strategy for Hammer to resolve the problem.
Many theorists agree with the same principles of Denisoff, Wahrman (1979), and Dahrendorf (1973) applied to conflict theory which are the basic interests of social life; social life involves coercion and groups with different interests; social life generates opposition, exclusion, hostility, and conflict; social difference involves power; and
The conflict perspective highlights the notion that society consists of individuals of different social classes and status groups that are of conflicting self- interests. As
Conflict theory sees societies comprised of groups with conflicting values and interests. (Vold et al. 1998)
The social approach of conflict is described by Witt (2014) as focusing on power and the allocation of valued resources in society. Examples of resources include material, social, and cultural resources. Those that have resources are held as privileged while others are seen as inferior. The view of society in the conflict perspective is associated with tension and struggle between groups. (Witt 2014:17)
[Today conflict theorists find social conflict between any groups in which the potential for inequality exists: racial, gender, religious, political, economic, and so on. Conflict theorists note that unequal groups usually have conflicting values and
The functionalist theory is a sociological approach emphasizing how parts of a society are structured to maintain its stability. An example of this is racist beliefs discouraging a minority group from trying to question their lower status in order to maintain stability. Another example of functionalist theory is racial ideologies justifying and encouraging existing practices for social movement. Conflict theory is an approach that assumes that the social structure is understood the most in terms of conflict or tension between minority and majority groups. An example of this is an idea called blaming the victim.
Conflicts are inevitable. It is necessary for the advanced practice nurse to have skills in approaching conflicts, negotiations, and resolutions (Hamric, Hanson, Tracy, & Grady, 2014). According to Hamric et al. (2014), you do not have to feel pressured to instantly agree with other teammates; however, be respectful and listen intently and identify what you are able to offer to the team.
Social conflict, as the name suggest is the conflict or struggle between segments of the society over intent and values. Through the beliefs and choices we made, we in a way divide ourselves into small section of communities. But then, that always initiate a conflict between choices, a struggle between values. This phenomenon not only divides individuals into conflicting ideas or views, but it also creates a fracture into the core of social institutions and organizations, the pillars of the society. Thus, it has both a macro and a micro level sociological
As humans being we should constantly be trying to improve ourselves each and every day. It is not easy to try and assess ourselves but it is a necessary task. We have strengths and weaknesses that make us unique and it is important that we accept our flaws but at the same time try to improve them. Hence, we should refer to our vulnerabilities as opportunities for improvement in order to better ourselves. This has been a constant struggle for me because I find it hard to assess myself. I am glad that I was able to utilize the RNAO Leadership Self-Assessment tool to assess my leadership skills as well as have someone else assess me with it. It allowed me to compare how I rate myself to how they rated me. Based on the assessment tool some of my strengths included empowering my peers, being helpful towards them and communicating effectively. My shortcomings included ineffectively resolving conflicts, and creating a sense of presence and accessibility. Even though we differed on various scores per category we both rated me a one out of five for managing conflicts adequately. This news was not surprising to me as I know I am not the best at resolving conflicts because I would rather just give in than express how I feel or confront an individual at all. To be an exceptional well rounded leader it is imperative that one has a good grasp of conflict resolution strategies because they will inevitably come your way. The purpose of
The social conflict theory is based on society being a complex system characterized by inequality and conflict that generate social change. Social conflict can be seen all over the world we live in: in sports, politics and normal social engagements and society at large. Karl Marx studied social conflict His entire life and wanted to reduce social inequality. The social conflict theory can be described as favoritism; Society tends to show favoritism to the prestigious members of that particular society. Social inequality is shown throughout the world from situations of race, ethnicity, gender, and age. These factors may dictate wealth, schooling, power, and prestige. The social conflict paradigm views the patterns that benefit
Conflict is a fact of life - for individuals, organizations, and societies. The costs of conflict are well-documented - high turnover, grievances and lawsuits, absenteeism, divorce, dysfunctional families, prejudice, fear. What many people don't realize is that well-managed conflict can actually be a force for positive change.
Conflict theory is the theory that human behavior in social contexts is the result of conflicts between competing groups, as different social groups, be they class-, gender- or race-defined, have unequal power and access to power, yet all groups compete for limited resources. This inevitably gives rise to tension and conflict, albeit often of the subtle variety, as oftentimes the conflicts between groups have been institutionalized in society to such a degree that the conflicts and tensions are such an expected part of society that the conflict, and inequality, itself disappears from public sight, and consciousness. For example, an adherent of a world systems theory of conflict would point to the global competition for resources, particularly the inequality between rich and poor nations struggling to provide the basic necessities of life to their inhabitants, as evidence of global conflict. Conflict theories seek to explain the interactions of groups within society, and assert that social order is preserved involuntarily through the exercise of power one social class holds over another (Lindsey, 2010, 7). The conflict between groups is not always obvious or apparent, so it must be unraveled and examined in order to identify and establish the impact of such conflict on society as a whole, as well as individual members and social groupings.
Conflict is defined as the behaviour due to which people differ in their feelings, thought and/or actions. Collins (1995) states that the conflict is a ‘serious disagreement and argument about something important’ and also as ‘a serious difference between two or more beliefs, ideas or interests’ (cf. Kumaraswamy, 1997, p. 96). In general it is believed that conflicts are the underlying cause of disputes. In other words, dispute is a manifestation of the deep rooted conflict. A dispute is defined as ‘a class or kind of conflict, which manifests itself in distinct, justifiable issues. It involves disagreement over issues capable of resolution by negotiation, mediation or third party adjudication’