Decisions in situations of complexity and conflictprint

On Saturday 9th February 2013, the topic will be addressed starting from the objective of wanting to deal with all kinds of conflict, managing or resolving it, in order to safeguard fundamental values such as respect for human dignity and for the legitimacy of every person involved, the participation and involvement of all, the acceptance of others and the realisation of non-violent relationships.
The solution to conflict requires a serious and rigorous analysis that begins with understanding the nature of the conflict, the parties involved, their aspirations, interests, values and needs, the perception that each party has of the other, and the dynamics of interaction between them.
Conflict and peace are not mutually exclusive terms. Conflicts are formed even in situations of peace. In part, this is due to problems related to incomplete or imprecise information: when we make a choice or take a decision, we only know our own situation, and we frequently act to create conflict with the objectives, decisions and actions of others. We often focus mainly on our own interests, values and needs, and we neglect those of others. But conflict can also be constructive. It can help us identify cases in which the basic needs of someone are not satisfied, or cases of lack of justice and strong inequalities in the society in which we live.
Excerpt from the text by Prof. Giorgio Gallo - University of Pisa - Sciences for Peace.