Social conflicts: causes and methods of resolution

The essence of social conflict

Social conflict is understood as a clash of interests and needs of individuals or groups of the population, entailing the development of contradictions and acute confrontation between the parties.

A conflict situation can concern one or several people, or affect the interests of large social groups or society as a whole.

Consequences

Positive consequences can be considered that society becomes aware of the presence of social tension and gets the opportunity to relieve it, and at the same time an impetus for favorable changes.

The parties better understand their own interests and recognize the interests of their opponents. Cohesion within groups increases.

The negative consequences are that the usual way of life is completely or partially destroyed, and this leads to stress. The previously established balance of power is disrupted.

Thus, social conflict is one of the ways in which individuals and entire social groups interact.

Its consequences can be both creative and destructive. For a favorable resolution of the insurance case, cooperation of the parties is important.

Types of social conflicts

Types of social conflict and ways to resolve them are closely related to each other. In order to bring the parties out of the conflict, it is necessary to understand its cause and nature, and clearly see all its participants. All social conflicts are divided into groups depending on several characteristics:

Functions of social conflict

All possible functions of social conflict are divided into:

• constructive - bringing a positive effect to the current situation;
• destructive - destructive for the situation and relationships of the parties.

Constructive functions include the release of tension between the parties to the conflict, positive changes in interpersonal relationships, interaction between groups and society as a whole.

Destructive functions cause destruction and destabilize the relationships between the parties.

Some of the most important functions of social conflict are the following:

1. Signaling - helps to regard the emergence of a conflict situation as a signal that there are certain problems in the relationships of individuals, groups and in society as a whole that need to be eliminated or minimized.
2. Informational - understanding the essence of the conflict contributes to the most accurate determination of the causes of its occurrence and ways to overcome it.
3. Differentiating - rather refers to conflicts affecting the interests of a large number of members of society. Thanks to this function, social relations become more structured, people are divided into social groups.
4. Dynamic - social conflicts are assigned the role of an engine in the development of society and relations in it.

Examples

The most destructive conflicts occur between states - these are wars. Everyone knows the First and Second World Wars.

• NC within the state is confrontation between political parties, citizens going to rallies, revolutions.
• In the family there are disputes about the distribution of finances, about how to properly raise children, quarrels caused by jealousy.
• At work – extended working hours, strikes due to low wages or poor working conditions.

Causes

The relationship between the causes and ways of resolving social conflicts cannot be ignored when resolving any conflict situation.

The basis of any social conflict is a contradiction - a confrontation of interests of the parties, expressed in an acute form. Conflict represents open actions of the parties aimed at achieving certain goals, as well as an aggressive response to these actions. Contradiction does not always imply a clash between participants; in society it can take the form of an implicit confrontation and is of a subjective-objective nature.

The objective contradictions are the confrontation between superiors and subordinates, parents and children. Subjective reasons are born from the attitude towards the conflict of each of the parties involved.

In social science, the ways to resolve social conflict and its causes are directly related. The causes of a conflict situation, depending on its nature and scope, can be a variety of factors:

• confrontation with the environment;
• social and economic inequality;
• contradictions in the cultural sphere;
• aggression;
• confrontation in the sphere of material goods, life values ​​and many others.

Understanding the dependence of determining ways of resolution on the causes of social conflict is necessary when solving any emerging conflict situation.

Causes

The reasons for SC can be different: internal or external, subjective or objective, related to material wealth or ideas, and others. The reason always has a close connection with the needs of opponents.

The most common causes of conflict in modern society are:

• differences in the level of income and, accordingly, access to cultural wealth, information, and education;
• social differences such as sexual orientation;
• religious heterogeneity of society;
• behavior of an individual.

The reason for the SC lies in the presence of a contradiction, but it should not be confused with the conflict itself.

A contradiction is a complete incompatibility of the interests of the parties, but it may not develop into open confrontation.

It is also important not to confuse reason and reason.

The cause is an objective factor that led to the emergence of a conflict situation.

The reason was a minor incident that contributed to the flare-up of the confrontation.

Sometimes the occasion arises by accident, sometimes it is created intentionally.

Stages of social conflict

Finding ways and means of resolving social conflicts is impossible without understanding the very process of disagreement. The following stages can be traced in the development of social conflict:

1. Pre-conflict situation: the emergence of a contradiction, increasing tension between the parties.
2. Conflict: actions, the purpose of which is to satisfy interests, the achievement of results by the parties that are opposite to each other or incompatible with each other, they become the cause of confrontation.
3. Conflict resolution: awareness of the causes.
4. The emergence of a social conflict and the search for ways to resolve it, reaching a compromise between the parties.
5. Post-conflict stage: complete elimination of differences between the parties to the conflict.

Participants in the conflict

Social conflict and ways to resolve it also depend on the parties involved in the current conflict situation. All parties involved in the conflict play certain roles in the development and course of the current situation, but not all are in open confrontation with each other.

The main participants in a social conflict are people, social groups, whose different interests and needs have led to the development of a conflict situation. Such participants are considered subjects of social conflict.

Witnesses do not take part in the conflict and observe the course of the conflict situation from the side. Mediators make efforts to resolve disputes and stop the conflict, and participate in organizing the necessary events. Instigators have a provocative effect aimed at developing the conflict. Accomplices in a conflict situation act on the side of one of the subjects, but do not participate in an open clash between the parties.

Conditions for searching for resolution paths

Social conflict and its development can only be stopped if certain conditions are met:

• all parties involved in the conflict must understand the interests, motives and needs of other participants;
• goals and contradictions between the parties should be as objective as possible;
• each of the parties involved in the conflict should be interested in getting out of the current situation and resolving the issue that caused the confrontation;
• the parties to the conflict must show respect and readiness to jointly resolve contradictions;
• joint actions of the parties to resolve a conflict situation should be focused on a specific result, which can be clear mechanisms for further interaction, mutual concessions or guarantees of compliance with agreements.

Resolution paths

Resolving a conflict situation begins with its analysis. It is necessary to determine the exact causes, understand how to eliminate them, and choose the most effective solution to the insurance system.

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There are these:

• compromise - opponents make mutual concessions;
• negotiations - opponents seek a solution during a peaceful conversation;
• mediation – the issue is resolved by a third party;
• arbitration - the situation is resolved by contacting an authorized government agency;
• use of force – the stronger opponent uses force.

Actually, exiting a social conflict can take place according to several scenarios:

1. Restoration - the state of affairs that preceded the conflict is restored.
2. Non-intervention is the absence of active actions, dictated by the hope that everything will work out on its own.
3. Renewal is a departure from old norms and the adoption of new ones.

The most productive way is to combine these paths.

It is important that in order to successfully resolve the conflict, both parties must be interested in this, and they should jointly look for a way to overcome it.

Social conflict and ways to resolve it

Briefly examining possible ways to resolve conflict situations, we can reduce them to several types:

1. Compromise is the resolution of a conflict situation by agreement of the parties on further peaceful interaction on the basis of mutual concessions.
2. Negotiation is a peaceful solution to a problem by putting forward proposals and presenting arguments that can satisfy all parties to the conflict.
3. Conflict resolution with the help of mediators is the involvement of a third party who, based on existing capabilities and experience, is able to resolve the current situation.
4. Avoiding confrontation or postponing are similar methods that involve weakening the development of the conflict due to the temporary “leaving the scene” of one of the subjects.
5. Arbitration is the resolution of a conflict situation by a government body that has special powers and complies with the rules of the law.
6. Forceful actions—involvement of military personnel and weapons.