What is conflict?

SALTO Cultural Diversity

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 What is conflict?

• some of you live in a context, where conflict

manifested itself in the most violent form
• some of you live in a world, where war is projected
only through the media, but experience conflicts in your
organisations
• many of you experience conflicts within yourself, when
your personal values clash with the environment you live
in

CAN CONFLICT BE SEEN AS A

NATURAL PROCESS?

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Conflict can be defined negatively:

• A fight or a struggle

• A disagreement between people with

different ideas or beliefs

• A clash of ideas, interests, behaviours or two

or more individuals or groups

BUT ALSO

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 Conflict can be defined positively:

• An honest confrontation that honours

diversity, creates environments where
differences can be expressed.

• An integral dynamic in the growth and

development of organisms and groups.

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 Conflict as a natural process

Conflict can also be defined as a natural

interaction between two individuals and/or
groups with different values, interests or
needs, which changes over the time.

CAN BE CONFLICT A POTENTIAL

OF LEARNING AND GROWTH?

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 What does conflict mean for you?

- When thinking of conflict as a natural

process, what does that mean for you
personally?
- What is conflict in the context you live in?
- What is conflict in the context of your youth
organisation?

WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM IT?

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 Possible types of conflict

Conflicts occur at several levels:

• inter-, intra- personal
• cultural, ethnic, religious, socio-economic, political,
class, etc.
• community, group, organisational
• gender, homosexual/heterosexual, generational,
minority/ majority
• civil, local, national, regional, international
• military, armed, violent

What types are relevant to you/

your organisation?

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