LSI Process, Person, and Society SophiaEuropa Network

Division Causality and Motivation presents

  Understanding Conflicts—Cross-Cultural Perspectives

 An international, interdisciplinary research conference    on the diversity of conceptions and cultural images of conflicts, n       based on analyses of research models, mediation practices, and religious worldviews

 August 19.-22., 2008, University of Aarhus, Denmark 

Idea:

Conflicts are part of human life—wherever humans interact, as individuals, as groups, as representatives of a culture, their diverse interests and values often cannot be jointly realized. The development of conflicts largely depends on how the conflicting parties view the situation they are in.  Attention to differences in the images of conflicts—the agentive understanding of sources, dynamics, and possible transformations of conflicts—is thus of central significance for conflict management and intervention.

Aim:

The purpose of this conference is to explore and engage cultural differences in approaches to conflict as articulated in theories and implemented in social practices. Accounts and models in the interdisciplinary field of “Conflict Analysis and Resolution” (e.g., game-theoretic, algorithmic, communication-theoretic, norm-theoretic approaches) shall be put into wider cross-cultural perspective where other sources of agentive orientation besides empirical science are also taken into account. 

Focus:

The conference will be focused on the analysis of cultural diversity in conceptions of conflict as documented in theoretical models of empirical research and research in the humanities, reflections on mediation and counselling practices, and, in particular, religious worldviews in theological interpretation.  Different cultures (systems of symbol-mediated interactive practices) not only generate conflicts but also impose on agents different “conflict cultures”— preferences for certain types of conflict dynamics (war, settlements, reconciliation) and predispositions for certain forms of epistemic approach (rational analysis, psychological hermeneutics, deep orientation or ‘spiritual opening’).

Significance:

The leading questions raised by the meeting will be of theoretical and practical significance.  Empirical studies of conflicts in psychology, sociology, anthropology, history, and political science describe particular (classes of) conflicts for the purposes of explanation and prediction.  To what extent are the theoretical models of conflict analysis in contact with practical conceptions implemented in counselling and mediation?  To what extent do cultural images of conflicts and associated conflict cultures  matter in theoretical description and practical understanding? Does the history of conflicts show that differences in the cultural images of conflicts matter for conflict dynamics?  What kinds of cultural images of conflicts and associated conflict cultures are projected by the five world religions? Can the humanities—in particular philosophy—provide conceptual and methodological orientation for the formation of a new cultural image of conflict or a new associated conflict culture that allows for constructive interactions with diversity?  

 Expected results:

The conference will generate are research contributions that are directly relevant for the transformation of cultural conflicts (not only by third party intervention but also by the conflicting parties themselves) and thus bound to receive particular attention by the larger public.   The research papers delivered at the conferences will, individually or in combination :

§         inform about the kind and degree of cross-cultural variation in conceptions of conflict along the essential parameters of the cultural images of conflicts in general (such as: (i) agents: who is involved); (ii) reasons: why did the conflict arise; (iii) subject matter: what is the conflict about; (iv) dynamics: how will/can/should the conflict develop; (v) consequences: what kinds of changes will the conflict engender?)

§         increase our understanding of the diversity in epistemic and practical approaches to conflicts (“conflict cultures”)

§         determine the success of current forms of mediation in intercultural conflicts and suggest new strategies and methods

§         clarify the historical role in cultural conflicts of those academic disciplines that most directly provide agentive orientation, such as theology and philosophy, and their future tasks for a joint social aim of transforming cultural conflicts (e.g. development of process-based notions of solidarity and mutual recognition)

§         suggest new educational initiatives for cross-cultural communication and learning. The conference contributions will be published in two separate volumes of peer-reviewed anthologies.               

Conference topics:

Theme 1 (Plenary 1): Conflict Analysis:  (cross-cultural) Reflections on Methods and TheoriesSession Plenary 1.1 On method  Session 1.1.1: Problems of Description  Session 1.1.2: Problems of empirical research Session Plenary 1.2 Theories and Models of Conflict Analysis  Session 1.2.1: Modelling conflict dynamics  Session 1.2.2: Ontologies (descriptive categories) of conflictTheme 2 (Plenary 2): Causes and Reasons of Conflict (in cross-cultural perspective)Session Plenary 2.1 Conflict and Identity  Session 2.1.1. Social (cultural) identity  Session 2.1.2 GenderSession Plenary 2.2 Conflict and Values  Session 2.2.1 Conflict and Emotion  Session 2.2.2  Conflict and CommunicationTheme 3 (Plenary 3a and 3b): Conflict Transformation (in cross-cultural perspective)Session Plenary 3.1. People changing  Session 3.1.1 Personal transformation  Session 3.1.2 Social transformationSession Plenary 3.2 Changing people  Session 3.2.1 Third party intervention  Session 3.2.2 Education       Workshops and Praxis ReportsTheme 4 (Plenary 4): Conflict and CultureSession Plenary 4.1 Conflict Cultures  Session 4.1.1 Risk and Security  Session 4.1.2 Cultural practices of peaceSession Plenary 4.2 Solidarity  Session 4.2.1 Responsibility for past and future  Session 4.2.2 GlobalizationTheme 5 (Plenary 5): Conflict and ReligionSession Plenary 5.1 Interreligious dialogue   Session 5.1.1 Religious diversity  Session 5.1.2 Dialogue and certainty Session Plenary 5.2 Religion, imagination, and conflict transformation  Session 5.2.1 Religious (in)tolerance  Session 5.2.2 Living Spirit(All underlined names are hyperlinked) 

Invited Keynote Speakers:

Martha Nussbaum

Amina Wadud 

Pumla Goboda-Madikizelan 

(Bishop Desmond Tutu) 

Invited Speakers:

Daniel Druckman, Dept. of Public and International Affairs at George Mason University, USA, and School of Political Science and International Affairs, University of Queensland, Australia.

Martha Minow, Law Department, Harvard University, USA

Ervin Staub, Dept. of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, USA

Toh Swee Hin, Multi-Faith Centre of Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia

Ulrich Beck, Dept. of Sociology, University of Munich and University of London

Karen Abi-Ezzi, Dept. for Peace Studies, University of Bradford, Great Britain

Zygmont Baumann, Dept. fo Sociology, University of Leeds, Great Britain

Reiner Bernhardt, Dept for Theology, University of Basel, Swizzerland

Thomas Brudholm, Danish Institute for International Studies, Philosophy

Gordon Burt, Mathematical Social Science Program, Open University London

William Conolly, Dept. of Political Science, John Hopkins University

Chris Groves, Institute for Sociological Research on the Future, University of Cardiff, GB.

Douglas P. Fry, Dept. for Social Sciences, Åbo University, Finland

Fiencke Harinck, Dept. for Psychology, University of Leiden, Netherlands

Sohail Hashmi, Dept. of International Relations, Mount Holyoke College, USA

Michiaki Okuyama, Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture, Japan

Hans Joas, Max-Weber-Kolleg for cultural and social studies, University of Erfurt, Germany

Dominique-Sila Khan, Institute for Rajasthan Studies, Jaipur, India

Bruce Lincoln, Dept. for the History of Religions, University of Chicago, USA

Christopher Mitchell, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University

Jan Oberg, The Transnational Foundation for Peace and Futures Research, Sweden

Kelly Oliver, Dept for Philosophy, Vanderbilt University, USA

Donna Pankhurst, Dept. for Peace Studies, University of Bradford, Great Britain

Marc Howard Ross, Dept. for Peace and Conflict Studies, Bryan Mawr University, USA

Dorothee Schlenke, Pedagogical Theological University Tübingen, Germany

Levent Tezcan, Institute for Research on Conflicts and Violence, University of Bielefeld

Alain Touraine, School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences, Paris, France

Vibeke Vindelov, University of Copenhagen, Center for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Law

Abdelwahab Meddeb, Dept. of literature, University of Paris, France

Tom Woodhouse, Dept. for Peace Studies, University of Bradford, Great Britain

Roberto Poli, Dept for Sociology, University of Trento, Mitteleuropa Foundation, Bolzano

Antonio Russo, Dept for Philosophy, University of Trieste

Cyprian Love, Glenstal Abbey. 

Main organizers:Johanna Seibt, Jesper Garsdal, Steen Wackerhausen, Dept. for Philosophy and the History of Ideas, University of Aarhus. 

Program committee:  

1. Thomas Brudholm, Danish Institute for International Studies, Copenhagen
2. Daniel Druckman, Dept. of Public and International Affairs at George Mason University, USA, and School of Political Science and International Affairs, University of Queensland, Australia.
3. Jesper Garsdal, University of Aarhus, History of Ideas.
4.  Nils-Henrik Gregersen, Department of Theology, University of Copenhagen,
5.  Chris Groves, Institute for Sociological Research on the Future, University of Cardiff, GB. 
6.  Hunter McEwan, Educational Foundation, University of Hawaii (Manoa), USA.
7.  Carsten Pallesen, Department for Theology, University of Copenhagen
8.  Else-Marie Wiberg Pedersen, Department of Theology, Univ. of Aarhus
9.  Morten Raffnsøe-Møller, Department of Philosophy and the History of Ideas,University of Aarhus, Philosophy
10. Robin Schott, Department for Philosophy, Danish Pedagogical University
11. Johanna Seibt, Department of Philosophy, University of Aarhus
12.  Augustine Shutte, Department of Philosophy, University of Cape Town
13. Levent Tezcan, Institute for Research on Conflicts and Violence, University of Bielefeld
14. Martijn Van Beek, Institute for Anthropology, Archeology, and Linguistics, University of Aarhus.
15. Vibeke Vindelov, University of Copenhagen, Center for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Law.
16. Steen Wackerhausen, Department for Philosophy, University of Aarhus.