Discuss conflict resolution in relationship to art, sports, media, and communications
The idea most people hold concerning conflict resolution is that of a mediator negotiating two warring sides. However, mediation is only a small component of a broader spectrum involving multiple processes such as dialogue, peace-media, facilitation and cooperative problem solving.
Conflict Resolution (or CR as it has come to be recently described) is a skill that following the last decade of the 20th Century has become very critical. It teaches individuals to look at problems from different dimensions and approach them with a drive towards solving them rather than aggression. After the events following the World War II most countries felt the need of a proper conflict resolution forum. However, most bodies set up for this tended to be politicized or were seen as biased. Critical cue that led to the Cold War (Ramsbotham, Miall and Woodhouse 15).
Arts have always served as a platform and way of expression for many cultures around the world. The Information Technology (IT) revolution that has culminated since the last 2 decades of the 20th Century to this day however, saw the arts become a culture (Sandole,22)
Communities and youth feeling sidelined by the Government and society took to penning poetry and musical rather than being aggressive. Given the globalization effect of technological advancement and media, these ways of art always found listeners and followers across nations. A key example was the Arab Spring Revolution which saw several Arab nations peacefully oust dictatorial regimes. This ‘fever’ as it was called started in Tunisia and spread in the Arab world via media. The underlying factor being is that the demonstrations were all peaceful and had the world’s backing.
Sports have been referred to by some as a religion. Its cross-border/people appeal has been so powerful that at times fighting has been halted due to sports. An example to this was during the Ivory Coast political tensions. During this period the national team through its captain was able to coerce the warring sides to negotiate a compromise before proceeding to the pitch. This not only shows the power of sports but also the influence sports personalities have.
In the United States of America (USA), basketball and subsequently other sports were introduced in 1986at Camp Kilpatrick as a way to keep the juveniles off gangs. The results were astounding with many of the former juveniles straightening out their lives as result of the new identity the sports gave them. The success of this led to the introduction of sporting teams in juvenile camps around the country.
As a means to fight the increasing gang enrollment by American suburban youths, sports can play a crucial role. Other-than pre-occupying youth, it gives them skills in communication and team-work. All this are crucial elements in conflict resolution.
Works Cited
Ramsbotham, Oliver, Hugh Miall and Tom Woodhouse. Contemporary conflict resolution: the prevention, management and transformation of deadly conflicts. Cambrigde, UK, 2011.
Sandole, Dennis J. D. Peacebuilding: Preventing Violent Conflict in a Complex World. Cambridge: Polity, 2010. Print.
