Facing the conflict Carlo Schenone carlo@schenone.net Equivalenza in inglese di circa 1 ora.

The root of violence: the M-m system Differences of character, thought, opinions, viewpoints X Y context Value judgement Arguments Power Aggressive answer unbalance M m

Nonviolence e aggressivity The word comes from latin 'ad-gredior', I do a step towards, I go on. Aggressiveness is a neutral energy, that can be transformed. Aggressiveness is the skill to react, to assert ourselves Force A g g r e s s i v n e s s Violence Nonviolent Struggle Good Aggressiveness Ad - gredior = Go towords Bad Harmfull behaviour for body and mind Assertiveness Oriented to surviving Destructiveness

The M-m answer to the conflict a. ESCALATION Energy towards the person that caused the violence - violence increment Who is in the m position tries to pass in the M position (and not on the same level), the other will be in lower position and will try to conquer again something more than the lost position. limit Visible phase Physical Invisible phase Psychological verbal reaction  Use of objects(ex. Weapons) Open war Physical contact   Economic war Structural violence Verbal language   Body language

The M-m answer to the conflict b. CHAIN of violence Energy that turns towards a third part – violence propagation b1. Not institutional chain • reaction • attack • • b2. Institutional chain or hierarchy Manager Commander Worker Soldier

The M-m answer to the conflict c. SELFDISTRUCTION Energy towards the subject itself that produces it There is no way and ability to send outside the aggressive energy that is discharged against the subject itself M m

The M-m answer to the conflict The arguments Every part, to go in M position, tries to find, as it can, all the elements that can strengthen their viewpoint through : 1. Positive arguments: putting in evidence positive aspects of its own viewpoint 2. Negative arguments: putting in evidence the negative aspects of the viewpoint of the other 3. Glorifying arguments: putting in evidence positive aspects of itself 4. Destructive arguments: putting in evidence negative aspects of the other person

How normally we try to fight violence?  acting on the visible level thinking that if the conflict remains at the invisible level it’s ok … they are only disputing  breaking or reducing the escalation: - physically dividing the parts (occupied territory in Palestine) - getting off the reason of the conflict (give me the ball so you will not fight any more) - punishing one of the parts to avoid its reaction

The E-E answer to the conflict The E – E model is founded on two principles: Nobody can impose violence, Nobody can accept to suffer violence Objectives: Modify the behaviour of the part that impose violence Modify the behaviour of the part that suffers violence M m E

The E-E answer to the conflict Search and communicate foundations Foundations are the factors that bears the viewpoint: they are the motivations, the values, the needs, the fears, that push the parts in their viewpoint. Above all they are elements acting at a emotional level. They are the chain of answers asking “why” for the viewpoints. Avoiding value judgements, foundations are nor more nor less important, they are. Often they are the motivation more difficult to tell but more concrete. Viewpoint: I would play Pos. arg.: after I will be more relaxed and study better Neg. arg.: I will be too tired and I will be unable to study Foundations: sometime I need to move Ability: communication, listening

F absolute nonviolence H G Nonviolence triangle B 100% to B Violence triangle E compromise 50% D fight A 100% to A C C 50%

A needs the skin and B needs the inside I want the orange! A needs the skin and B needs the inside The skin to A and the inside to B All the orange to B Nonviolence triangle 100% Violence triangle Needs of B 50% Half orange each A smashed orange to A and some juice on the hands of B Nothing to A and to B 50% All the orange to A Needs of A

The E-E answer to the conflict Create a solution The solution to be created must not be confronted with the initial viewpoints, the work must be done at a lower level, in the foundations. The solution have not the need to satisfy the 100% of the foundations of both parts (absolute nonviolence) but it can satisfy the major part of them. Ability: creativity

The E-E answer to the conflict It is possible to face its own conflicts and that of the others. Involving all or only some parts. Find out the foundations of the involved parts. At first it seams easier to find our foundations but in effect normally we only find arguments to justify our viewpoint. Finding out the foundations of the opponent it is difficult because of the fear to recognise its reasons. Finding out our real foundations can be difficult because it could need to accept things of ourselves that we don’t like. Forget the initial viewpoints and try to find a new situation respecting the bigger amount of foundations of all the conflicting parts.

The E-E answer to the conflict New proposal Viewpoints Arguments Foundations

Bibliography “An Introduction to Nonviolence. A conceptual Framework”, FOR/WRI/IOT, Nyack/London/Brussels, 1987 (sold out) “Uprooting Violence. Building Nonviolence”, Cobblesmith, Freeport (MA, USA), 1995 (ISBN : 0-89166-015-1) “I want, you don’t want. Nonviolence Education”, Cobblesmith, Freeport (MA, USA), 2001 (ISBN : 0-89166-019-4)

Carlo Schenone schenone@arch.unige.it