Identity-Based Conflicts

1
Identity-Based Conflicts

• Identity Based
• Source
• Needs and Values threats to or frustration over
  such identity needs as dignity, safety, control
• Characteristics
• Intangible Rooted in history, psychology,
  culture, belief systems, abstract and complex
  goals
• Initial Engagement
• Interactive dialogue about needs and values
  promoting voice and recognition

• Resource Based
• Source
• Resources competition over material and
  territorial interests
• Characteristics
• Tangible Focused on finite goods and services
• Initial Engagement
• Transactive interest-based and mixed-motive
  bargaining

2
ARIA Framework for Identity Conflicts

• Antagonism
• Resonance
• Invention
• Action

3
Antagonism

• Adversarial Framing
• Focuses on the tangible what of the conflict
• Is defined in Us versus Them terms, the resources
  at stake, the opposing solutions sought
• Involves four key processes
• Blaming the other
• Polarizing our side against theirs
• Attributing negative characteristics to the other
• Projecting unacceptable traits from ones own
  side to the other
• Often high conflict, heavily emotional

4
Resonance

• Reflexive Reframing
• Focuses on the why and who of the conflict
• Why does who want what?
• Focuses on the identity needs of all sides
• Heavily dependent on dialogue orientations
• Reflexivity in Action
• From blaming and victimhood to respective
  responsibility
• From Us v. Them to We
• From Attribution to Analytic Empathy
• From Projection to Self-awareness and ownership

5
Invention

• Inventing
• Focuses on the how of cooperatively resolving
  the conflict
• Differs from Interest-based bargaining in that it
  emphasizes positions to needs to interests
  instead of just positions to interests
• Cooperative Techniques
• Differentiation
• Expansion
• Compensation

6
Action

• Agenda Setting
• Addresses the why and who of the conflict
• Addresses the how of cooperation through the
  tangible what of solutions.
• Consolidated into plans of action
• Follows stages focusing on these questions
• What is to be done?
• Why is it to be done?
• Who is to do it?
• How is it to be done?