My Group

I expect that these groups will help all of us learn how to be accountable for ourselves as students, and it will help me as an individual catch up to the college pace. I hope that all members of my group to be excited and dedicated to getting the assignments done. I like to think that everybody would be able to get into contact if needed if something needed to be adressed.

MV

How I Feel

I feel like conflict is all around. You always hear on the news about something going on either invonving violence or getting close to it. Many issues you hear about on the news do get resolved without any harm taking place, but in other issues it seems that the answer is violence. Different conflicts pull different emotions out of me as a person. In general I think all conflict should be dealt with, but I do know that some situations need to be handled sooner than others. I want to know how basic conflict situations work, all details on just some to start off then I can branch off to more complicated conflict situations.

MV

Journal 9: International Conflict

There are a multitude of factors that influence conflict on the international level. They can be identity based between two groups that compare each other or feel deprivation. They can be based in political, economic, and social failure to provide for citizens, incompatible interests, or competition for resources. The one most widespread theory that is applicable to almost all conflicts is the basic human needs theory. I believe conflicts on the international scale can be defined best with the social identity theory. People have an incredible drive to provide for themselves and the groups of people that they relate to, and I believe that desire to feel their importance as a nation is what drives nations to war, and enables them to persecute other groups. If you are identifying with and trying to provide for your own group then the other group is vilified, not seen as human, so therefore it does not matter that you are hurting the members of the other group; they do not matter. In fact, they may even hurt your own group. The perfect example is the conflict between Israel and Palestine. This transnational conflict influences people all across the globe, but it is based in the needs of the israeli and palestinian people who want recognition and respect as individuals, and as groups.

Journal 8: Conflict Ends

My conflicts end once I have successfully negotiated with those with whom I am in conflict. The stability of my conflict situations are increased when I realize the common bonds that I share with the people I am in conflict with. I think that escalation for me generally ends because either the conflict is avoided or when one side yields, and I often try to avoid conflict unless it is brought to me in a way that I cannot ignore. I think that in the international arena, where states have clearly defined powers, conflict ends and escalation stops when a unilateral advantage becomes clear, when one side wins, or if one side withdraws. It really depends on the parties involved in the conflict as to how it will end, because the personalities of the people involved greatly influence the kind of de-escalation tactics will be used, and the kind of outcome the sides hope for. If there is a zero-sum outlook, then one side has to win or drop out, there is no room for concession. Sometimes parties will refuse to act or will withdraw, which will end escalation, but often will not resolve the conflict, so the conflict might come back in a worse way later on.