Culture and conflict

'Culture is an essential part of conflict and conflict resolution. Cultures are like underground rivers that run through our lives and relationships, giving us messages that shape our perceptions, attributions, judgments, and ideas of self and other. Though cultures are powerful, they are often unconscious, influencing conflict and attempts to resolve conflict in imperceptible ways.'

Michelle Lebaron (www.beyondintractability.org/m/culture_conflict.jsp)

We are very interested in issues of culture, identity and resulting relationships. Those working here come from very disparate backgrounds and most - by coincidence? - are in relationships with someone who had a different cultural upbringing to their own. At a recent development day, we started to talk about what we should call the groups we work with, and the narrowing impact of 'labelling' them with a single cultural tag - English, Black, Asian, Somali.

Click here for how we would define ourselves, starting with a look at our relationship to the 'tick box'. You may also be interested in 'Trusting Outsiders', from talking to South Asian women about how they see themselves in relation to mainstream culture.

For more background reading on this topic, see Links and Resources.