Conflict resolution

This resource deals with understanding how conflicts take root, and discusses ways to prevent this, as well as how to deal with already created conflicts. This information could be useful for education centres, and schools in conflict zones.

Personification of evil
In difficult times (ie poverty, famine, ...), radicalist ideas that identify one population group as "the enemy" and personify this population group as the source of all of their current problems gain in popularity. This can be explained in the fact that, by putting the blame in one source, people actually also provide themselves a (non-existant) solution; ie by getting rid of this single population group, they can also make their problems disappear.

The selfish gene theory
The selfish gene theory says that people are genetically programmed to discriminate people more closely related to them in favor to those that are more distantly related to them (in short, it says that racism is genetically part of all races). Ie this, especially in regards to the choosing of a partner, but also more in general. This, to some extent, explains that in some areas specific population groups can be more easily seen/made to "an enemy". It doesn't fully explain things however, since the mind/spirit itself still controls the body and not the other way around. Hence, the selfish gene theory is just another facilitator of conflict, but not a root cause.

Eliminating the presence of difficulty
Although they are not the direct cause, the initial problems that allow radicalisation to occur in an area (ie poverty, famine, ...) need to be eradicated. To some extent, AT technology can be helpful in achieving this.

The relationships we engage in
As a rule of thumb, relationships we engage in are often too radical. The image on the right shows that there are many types of relationships we can engage in; i.e., not only by either being very friendly or violent towards each other, but also to simply refrain from any interaction with the other group at all. This last type of relationship seems the best option in times/locations where/when tension is high.

It seems also useful to not be too radical in any form of relationship at all. Even within peaceful interaction with one another, too radical partnership love (1st love type) can be source of conflict. The other two types of love (sexual urge, being enloved) are then again not an emotion but a fundamental motivation or urge (such as hunger, ...) The three types of love are respectively triggered by the compounds vasopressine, dopamine, and oxytocine in the brains. We must recognise this, and hence force ourselves to not become too radical in partnership love either, as we can not allow the body to lead the mind.