The Case of Conflict

• To develop and evaluate alternative solutions
• To have a deeper understanding of conflict
• To enhance the ability in the role of the mediator

1. Explain that in order for a conflict to be solved, all the parties’ needs and concerns should be addressed. [The concerns are often underlying fears.] Tell the participants they will now try to identify the conflicting parties and each party’s needs and concerns in a conflict situation.
   
   
2. Read or give out photocopies of Case Handout - A Conflict in Pleasantville.
   
   
3. Elicit who the conflicting parties are and determine what sort of solution would satisfy each party. For example, the environmentalist would be satisfied if they saved all the Güllük trees and 75% of the other trees and if somehow the turtles could be saved.
   
   
4. Divide the class into groups of 5 participants each. In each group there should be one businesswoman, one environmentalist, one unemployed youth, one retired person and one mediator. They must imagine they are in a public meeting to decide the fate of Pleasantville. They will now role play and try to come up with a solution that will be satisfactory for all parties involved.
   
   
5. Go into small groups and
   
   1. Discuss the problem at hand,
   2. Develop 3 alternative solutions,
   3. Identify major implementation steps and resources required,
   4. Evaluate the alternatives,
   5. Pick the alternative they are going to recommend,
   6. Select their presenter.
6. The presenters present to the whole group the alternative solutions, the evaluation, the recommendation and why that is recommended.
   
   
7. The participants review each recommendation and comment. The group as a whole compares the recommendations and makes a common recommendation.

Feedback

In most conflicting situations, there are possible methods and ways to be used in order to satisfy all parties concerned. If the first conflict stages were not identified and the situation has reached to a crisis, we need to act as a mediator or find a mediator to resolve the process. This could only be done, by first identifying the needs, fears and demands of each party separately, and then to find a solution which would satisfy at least the basic needs of each of them. Parties should all come together, and by discussing their needs and fears, should come upon a solution which would not leave any hostilities and/or unmet needs behind.

- Which was the most successful solution? Why?

Have the mediators from each group report to the whole group about how the process went, the difficulties they encountered etc.

Flipchart, pens and board markers.

Group dynamic work, discussion

Point out that for a conflict to be solved, the needs and concerns each involved party should be responded to at the minimum level that satisfies their needs. If any of the party’s needs are ignored, in the long run, this will only prolong or even accelerate the conflict. Ask participants to look at the conflicts with this perspective and see if they can figure out a way to resolve it. Possible solutions might include: building a boutique hotel (Something smaller with less environmental damage), no disco, an eco-tourism hotel (where the tourists could turn off lights at night, and observe the baby turtles reaching the sea), etc.

Women without borders. (2006). Young Women Fit for Politcs. Retreived from www.women-without-borders.org

Conflict in Pleasantville: docx format, PDF format