Conflict Resolution
Publications & Related Research Summaries
'The Use of Group Work to Reduce Ethnic Conflict Among Adolescent Groups: An International Comparison of Approches'
The author proposes that conflicts among youth related to religion, ethnicity,
and national origin will be most successfully ameliorated when efforts
to address them are introduced at a younger age and are conducted through
work with groups. The author further proposes that because youth group
conflicts occur in every society, much can be learned from comparing efforts
to address these conflicts and create peace between youth groups all over
the globe. The research compares four models for addressing youth conflicts
in schools and assesses differences in the way each program attempted
to influence conflicts and the stage at which conflict is addressed in
each program. The first two programs assessed were located in school systems
in the state of Michigan in the United States. Students involved in the
first program had been previously involved in conflict situations. Strategies
to address the situation involved mediation, generally one-to-one and
not in groups. These strategies allowed students to develop basic skills
in conflict management. Students involved in the second program had been
identified as disruptive and strategies to address conflict situations
included adventure therapy, anger control training, and moral reasoning.
Both these programs sought to unfreeze previous stereotypes and prejudices
and the second helped students develop new behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes
to refreeze. Both sought to address conflicts as they occur between students
already interacting with each other.
The third and fourth programs were conducted in Israel and South Africa.
Students involved in the Israel program were Palestinian and Israeli and
had been identified as leaders. They engaged in a two day retreat and
had not previously interacted. In South Africa, entire classrooms of students
were recruited for involvement in the program, so participants had interacted
previously. Unlike the programs in the United States, both the Israel
and South Africa programs sought to prevent conflict before it occurs.
The third and foruth programs also sought to unfreeze previous stereotypes
and prejudices as well as develop new behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes.
All four programs sought to influence interactions between individual
students, within the organization, and within the community. This research
will be used to develop models to reduce ethnic conflicts among youth
in different societies and to help group workers to use their skills in
the field of inter-group relations.
Last updated: 3/25/03
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