Peacebuilding &conflict transformation A ... - Peaceworkafrica

Conflict analysis can be carried out at various levels: family, group, organization,community, district, regional, national, between states or even global. It is crucial toidentify the appropriate focus for the analysis as the issues and dynamics at the variouslevels differ, even though they may influence each other. For example, the aspectsanalysed on community level may be different from the national level although theyhave an impact on each other. Conflict analysis provides the foundation to understandthe conflict history, the interaction between the actors, the intervention andthe context. It is thus a central component of conflict transformation as it forms thebasis on which strategies can be developed and actions planned 2 .2.1 Aspects of conflictsA conflict has different aspects. In order to understand “what is going on” the variousaspects have to be identified, their relation with each other must be examined,and how the different aspects influence one another analysed. Some of the mostimportant aspects are:▶ Actors who are involved in the conflict (directly or indirectly).It also means their relationships to one another and their powerto change the situation.▶ Issues refer to what the parties claim the conflict is about(topics, contested goods…). They are specific and concrete. Very oftenproblems based on facts are less important than relationship problems,though conflicts are usually framed in factual terms.▶ Causes of the conflict refer to the visible and invisible reasons,the factors contributing to the conflict be it structural or those factorsthat triggered the conflict.▶ Context, circumstances, history of the conflict means the environmentin which the conflict emerged, the environment that is influencingthe way the conflict develops, the way the conflict has changed over time.▶ Dynamics of the conflict involves the mechanisms of escalationand de‐escalation, the occurrence of violence, influences from in‐ andoutside. It also includes, if there have been attempts to changethe conflict, what was constructive and what caused escalation.▶ Communication patterns relate to the ways and means of communicationamong the different actors. This refers to both actively involvedand passively influencing actors.▶ Consequences and future perspectives refer to the obvious short termand the possible long term effects of the conflict.2 . C o n f l i c t a n a l y s i s 125