Conflict Dynamics: Galtung’s

Conflict Triangle
 Johan Galtung
• We understand that Violence is any
physical, emotional, verbal,
institutional, structural or spiritual
behaviour, attitude, policy or
condition that diminishes, dominates
or destroys others and ourselves.

• Violence is one of the possible

responses to specific conflict
situations. This does not imply that
violence is unavoidable.

• Violence is not inevitable and it must

not be confused with conflict.
Galtung explored causes of violent conflict

• In societies with conflict, - possible to identify both

specific causes and more general conditions that
make violent conflict more likely

• Different sides unlikely to agree on causes

• ‘Behaviours, attitudes and contradictions act

together to encourage violent conflict’
- Galtung
 Behaviour
Violence, genocide, Galtung’s Conflict
insurgency attacks,
discriminatory acts Triangle
Manifest Level:
How people act encourages
conflict, immediate
evidence of conflict

Latent Level;
How people think
encourages conflict; deeper
causes of conflict

Attitudes/Assumptions:
Racism, discriminatory Contradictions
attitudes, sexism, Inequality, dispute over
victimhood, trauma territory or resources,
Conditions making violent conflict more likely Conditions making violent conflict less likely
Conditions making violent conflict more
likely:
• Little or no democratic means of dispute
resolution; minorities excluded from
political representation
• Wealth, territory or resources shared
unequally and controlled by powerful elites
• Poverty
• Government is above the law, making
arbitrary and illegitimate decisions
• Judicial system is absent or interfered with,
not independent or fair
• Human rights are abused
Conditions making violent conflict less
likely:
• Democratic institutions exist, with full
political equality and participation
• Equal sharing of resources and wealth
• Equality of opportunity for all
• Government respects the rule of law
• Disputes can be resolved fairly through a
fair and independent judicial system
• Respect for human rights (especially of
minorities)
 Behaviour
Violence, genocide, Applying Galtung’s
insurgency attacks,
discriminatory acts Conflict Triangle:
Manifest Level: Syria Conflict
How people act encourages
conflict, immediate
evidence of conflict

Latent Level;
How people think
encourages conflict; deeper
causes of conflict

Attitudes/Assumptions:
Racism, discriminatory Contradictions
attitudes, sexism, Inequality, dispute over
victimhood, trauma territory or resources,
Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)
 Behaviour
Violence, genocide,
insurgency attacks,
Applying
discriminatory acts Galtung’s
Manifest Level:
How people act encourages
Conflict
conflict, immediate
evidence of conflict Triangle: Syria
Conflict
Attitudes/Assumptions:
Assad government believes
Latent Level;
it should
How people thinkstay in power; that
rebel
encourages forces deeper
conflict; are ‘terrorists’
causes ofchallenging
conflict legitimate
authority of the state. Sunni
rebels feel Assad
government is not
legitimate, demanding
greater representation and
political equality; Sunnis
marginalized by Assad-led
Shia government
Contradictions
Inequality, dispute over
territory or resources,
Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)
 Behaviour
Violence, genocide, Applying Galtung’s
insurgency attacks,
discriminatory acts Conflict Triangle:
Manifest Level: Syria Conflict
How people act encourages
conflict, immediate
evidence of conflict

Attitudes/Assumptions: Contradictions
Assad government believes
Latent Level; Sunni majority is in in
it should
How people thinkstay in power; that conflict with President’s
rebel
encourages forces deeper
conflict; are ‘terrorists’ Alawite sect, which has
causes ofchallenging
conflict legitimate drawn in Sunni and Shia
authority of the state. Sunni regional powers. Sunnis
rebels feel Assad feel marginalised by Assad
government is not Shia led government;
legitimate, demanding Islamic State believes it is
greater representation and right to create Sunni
political equality; Sunnis Muslim caliphate across
marginalized by Assad-led Syria and Iraq – does not
Shia government accept current international
borders

Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)

 Behaviour
Assad government: military campaign against insurgency, chemical weapon
attacks (Aug 2013) Applying Galtung’s
Sunni rebel forces: violent insurgency against Assad governemnt
Islamic state: military campaign to establish Sunni Islamic caliphate, Conflict Triangle:
fought against Shia Muslims and Assad government; execution of western
journalists
Manifest Level: Syria Conflict
How people act encourages
conflict, immediate
evidence of conflict

Attitudes/Assumptions: Contradictions
Assad government believes
Latent Level; Sunni majority is in in
it should
How people thinkstay in power; that conflict with President’s
rebel
encourages forces deeper
conflict; are ‘terrorists’ Alawite sect, which has
causes ofchallenging
conflict legitimate drawn in Sunni and Shia
authority of the state. Sunni regional powers. Sunnis
rebels feel Assad feel marginalised by Assad
government is not Shia led government;
legitimate, demanding Islamic State believes it is
greater representation and right to create Sunni
political equality; Sunnis Muslim caliphate across
marginalized by Assad-led Syria and Iraq – does not
Shia government accept current international
borders

Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)

 Applying Galtung’s
Behaviour Conflict Triangle:
Manifest Level:
How people act encourages
conflict, immediate
evidence of conflict

Latent Level;
How people think
encourages conflict; deeper
causes of conflict

Attitudes/Assumptions:
Contradictions

Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)