Community conflict transformation

Community Resolve's activities have two main theoretical influences.

The first is the idea of conflict transformation, a process that recognises the complexity of conflicts and the importance of fully understanding their context before acting.

This approach originates in international peacebuilding work.
It recognises that unpicking community conflicts takes time, patience, humility and a long-term commitment, especially when working among groups of different race, ethnicity and culture.

We are exploring how to turn the theory and international practice of systemic conflict transformation into relevant practice for UK urban areas.

'Logic will get you from A to B.
Imagination will take you everywhere'

Albert Einstein

A second major influence are the principles of community mediation as practised in the UK. These include listening respectfully to all involved without judgement, of asking people questions that help them unearth their own solutions to their situation. The key questions we ask are:

• How do you see the situation now?
• How would you like it to be?
• What is getting in the way?

We then expand this format to use in any setting, asking communities to come to meetings to share their ideas of how to improve a situation, with an eye to better communication in the future.

Influential thinkers include: Lederach, Galtung, LeBaron, Barge, Augsburger, the Berghof Foundation, Foucault, Fairclough, Winslade, Reimann, Francis - for a start ...