Conflict

Question 1

Common Misconceptions

Answer 1

Conflict is caused by single factors
-Generalizations lead to misunderstanding about the causes; complex issue
Conflict parties are rational (unitary actors)
-Not all are involved for the same reason or goal
Conflict is always visible
-Conflict often begins before outwardly expressed dissatisfaction
Conflict is always undesirable
-Typically associated with violence or war; media coverage negative
Conflict always needs to be settled
-If undesirable, must be settled
Conflict always requires third party intervention
-Belief that involved parties can’t be trusted

Question 2

Inter-state Conflict

Answer 2

primary warring parties must be government parties
no longer common; rare in the last 10 years
inter-state conflicts are more regional now

Question 3

Extra-state

Answer 3

Last: 1975
Between a state and a non-state group outside territory

Question 4

Internationalized Conflict

Answer 4

between government of state and internal opposition groups
with intervention from other states

Question 5

Intra-state Conflict

Answer 5

most widespread
between government of state and internal opposition groups
without intervention from other states

Question 6

Non-State Conflict

Answer 6

use of armed forced between two organized armed groups
neither is the government of a state

Question 7

Issues within Conflicts involve:

Answer 7

Relationship conflicts
-parties are upset with one another; one part has negative perception about the other
-poor communication leads to damage
Data Conflicts
-inadequate, inaccurate, untrusthworthy information; different interpretations
-difficult to see and correct
Interest Conflicts
-perceived or actual competitive interests
-financial, environmental, land claims, etc.
Structural and Value
-societal structural issues; inequality
-different ways of life, ideology, religion

Question 8

Latent Conflict

Answer 8

stage of invisible conflict
often not heard by the outside
easy to exclude of conflict analysis, but critical to actually understand conflict
conflict typically doesn’t begin with an outright clash of violence
if settled incorrectly, could be pushed back into latent phase

Question 9

Overt Conflict

Answer 9

outward; covered by media
when latent conflict bursts