Conflict is a connection between two or more people or organizations who have or believe they have irreconcilable aims and needs. So, the conflict can be actual or perceived and over material or symbolic resources. Most people regard conflict as a negative term with negative connotations. However, conflict is neither positive nor negative. Some of its features may be positive or negative.
Most disputes have identifiable causes. There are as many possible sources as there are conflicts. However, we will address some critical specific sources that contribute to the emergence of particular conflicts, such as religious, ethnic, racial, or caste conflicts, further below.
Conflict can arise due to a lack of information, misinformation, or different interpretations of facts. Disputants may need more or even the same information regarding a particular issue. Organizations and individuals may perceive the same data or information differently or assign various levels of importance to the same data. Control and exploitation of information are potent weapons in conflict situations.
Another source of contention is ineffective communication. Miscommunication and misunderstanding can lead to conflict even when there is no fundamental incompatibility between groups and individuals. Furthermore, stakeholders' interpretations of the facts in a situation may disagree, and there can only be a resolution once they are defined. Conflict stakeholders' perspectives differ due to self-centeredness, selective perception, emotional bias, and prejudices. A lack of skill in conveying one's point of view clearly and courteously frequently results in misunderstanding, hurt, and rage, all exacerbating the conflict. Whether the dispute has objective causes or is the result of perceptual or communication issues, the persons involved perceive it to be very real.
This refers to a dispute over material resources such as land, money, or objects that can be identified and bargained. Disputes over access to and control of land, material, economic, and scarce natural resources have historically been significant sources of conflict. The competition for resources and the defense of national economic interests framed in geographical terms was a crucial component in constructing colonial empires in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Each side intended to take as much as possible; its behavior and emotions were geared around maximizing gain. Demand for land, freshwater, and other natural resources is increasing quickly in the twenty-first century due to population growth and consumption.
Relationships are an essential aspect of human life. Gandhi was always eager to work with the opposing party to forge ties that would serve as the foundation for a successful post-conflict life. We all have personal (family), social (community), and organizational (commercial) relationships. People in these relationships have arguments on various matters, which is very natural. However, the interdependence created by these relationships can introduce a destructive dimension to these differences.
Structures, both social and organizational, define who has access to power and resources, who has decision-making authority, and who is respected. Structure-related conflicts frequently entail concerns of justice and competing interests.
Power can refer to legitimacy, authority, force, or the power to coerce. It is essential in conflict situations; conflicts are either motivated by a desire for more power or a fear of losing it. Nevertheless, power is intangible; it cannot be measured. However, power does not exist in a vacuum; it exists in and is dependent on relationships. Furthermore, one should consider resources to be a critical factor in determining the actual location of power or the necessity for electricity. When one or both parties opt to take a robust approach to the relationship and aim to retain or maximize the influence they wield in the relationship and the social setting, power conflicts can emerge between individuals, groups, or nations. One side cannot be stronger without the other being weaker, at least in terms of direct control over the other. As a result, a power struggle ensues, which usually ends in victory for one side and loss for the other or in a stand-off with a level of tension that continues.
Governance refers to decisions that set expectations, delegate authority, or evaluate performance. It concerns how society is controlled, the allocation of authority and resources, and the legitimacy of these in the eyes of society's members. Governance is a decision-making process and the method by which decisions are implemented (not implemented). To put it simply, 'governance' is what a 'government' does. Politics offers the means for the governing process to function. 'Good governance' is an amorphous concept used in development literature to describe how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources to ensure human rights are realized.
Effective governance is essential to economic growth, poverty eradication, and long-term development. It reduces the likelihood of violent confrontation. Governments will be legitimized if they reflect the values and meet the needs of individuals over whom they have responsibility.
Many disputes are centered on denying or violating rights and the effort to end these injustices. Civil and political rights, sometimes known as "first-generation rights," include the individual's rights in society to life, liberty, and freedom of thought and expression. Gandhi had always emphasized the importance of the individual and believed that society could not be founded on the denial of individual liberty. Economic, social, and cultural rights are referred to as "second-generation rights," They include the right to necessities such as food, shelter, health care, and education. Third-generation rights are collective rights such as those of minorities and marginalized groups. Human rights are so required for individuals to live dignified lives.
Culture plays a significant role in social conflict. It is acquired through family, community, school, and media; it is not innate in humans. Culture influences how individuals and groups act, interact with others, and think about and perceive events around them. Hence, understanding the cultural settings of the individuals and organizations involved in a conflict is essential, especially when the competing parties are from different cultures. In reality,
Ideology is primarily utilized in the public realm of politics. Political ideologies such as Fascism, Nazism, and Marxism are based on core views regarding economic organization or societal control. One of the most prominent ideological confrontations of the twentieth century was the Cold War, which showed itself in methods such as the development of economic and military blocs, as well as proxy warfare between client states at the regional and local levels. The Cold War ended with the dissolution of the former Soviet Union and the Communist Bloc's demise.
Religion, in general, refers to the private world of spirituality. It is especially significant to conflict because it may involve strong exclusivity claims; the devout are thought to represent unique, exclusive communities. Nevertheless, religious belief can become a motivator in political activity, and politicians might exploit religion for selfish political purposes or as a tool for those ends. Furthermore, scriptures have been misconstrued throughout history to support slavery, bigotry, and women's servitude. The conflict between religions has occurred throughout history, but in the modern era, some of the world's main religions are witnessing a spike in fundamentalist elements. Fundamentalists have attempted to expand their sphere of influence from places of worship to the state and society as a whole, escalating tensions not just between religions but also between moderate and extremist sectors of religions, as well as between the state and society as a whole.
Identity refers to a person's sense of themselves and how they relate to the rest of the world. It is a basic human desire that gives purpose, security, and predictability to individuals and groups within a specific social context. Our relationship with the world is jeopardized unless we have a strong sense of "who we are" and how we may "be" and continue to live and feel safe in our surroundings. Gandhi placed a high value on personal identity and dignity. He emphasized that self-respect loss must be avoided since, without self-respect and inner stability, one cannot attain the path to self-realization or begin the path to nonviolence.
Individuals and groups value values because they are the ideas that create their identity and faith perspectives that give meaning to their lives. Incompatibility in people's lifestyles and beliefs, such as preferences, values, and actions, can lead to value conflicts. When states, groups, and individuals assert the legitimacy and superiority of their way of life and political-economic system compared to other states, groups, and individuals, values can become a significant component in such confrontations. Values are frequently viewed as a component of one's identity; hence, challenges to values are frequently viewed as a danger to identity, leading to defensive reactions by individuals and groups because they believe that resolution of the dispute will need a change in values.
Gandhi understood conflict as a product of social institutions rather than persons. Various sources of conflict appear in modern human beings' government, society, economy, and cultural life. Most current disputes are complicated because they include multiple sources rather than simply one. By identifying and analyzing the individual roots of conflict, complex conflicts can be broken down into manageable components. Also, there may be overlap between the various topics in a disagreement.
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