Conflict Resolution Essay

Engagement in peaceful and violent interactions, as well as the conflicts consequent from the, has changed greatly in the modern world. With the vast advancement in technology, our ability to communicate over long distances with various media devices has improved the ability to conduct peaceful conversations. This in itself decreases the chances of violence as all party members involved in a conflict of some sort are able to access and correspond with one another, if they so choose, without jumping the gun and heading straight into a violent solution. However, weapon technology develops simultaneously with modern technology, resulting in extreme weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear weapons and the fact that these weapons are so easily accessible enables violent interactions. Both the “Conflict Resolution” and “Nonviolence” paradigms have not been able to keep up with the development of modern technology and are therefore not applicable in some instances. While the “Conflict Resolution” paradigm maintains its applicability for most situations, the “Nonviolence” paradigm becomes obsolete in regards to the nuclear weapons that play such a large role in modern day conflicts. Nevertheless, both paradigms are useful tools in international peacemaking – methods such as negotiation from the “Conflict Resolution” paradigm are independent from the type of conflict involved. Similarly, the “Nonviolence” paradigm has methods e.g. the creation of peace movements, which are applicable to all conflicts regardless of their nature. This shows that while they might be limited in some aspects, the “Conflict Resolution” and “Nonviolence” paradigms are still useful in conflicts nowadays and contribute tools to international peacemaking even tho...

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...d nuclear weapons – attempting to pursuer nonviolent tactics, as response, may not be well suited at all. With certain cases akin to Al-Qaeda, who are motivated by religion, attempting a nonviolent approach would have very little effect on them. The current situation in some areas of the Middle East are not suited with methods put forward by the “Nonviolence” paradigm nor the “Conflict Resolution” paradigm. However, this is not always the case – there are instances when methods from both paradigms can be effectively put into play but given the specific details in the case of the Middle Eastern conflict, these methods are not suitable. In conclusion, regarding modern day/current events, the “Conflict Resolution” and “Nonviolence” paradigms are still applicable but there are instances, as provided above, where the conflicts should be dealt with in different manners.