Unit 4 Lesson 12: Johan Galtung’s Conflict Triangle

Who is Johan Galtung? Johan Vincent Galtung (born October 24,1930) is a Norwegian sociologist, mathematician, and the principal founder of the discipline of peace and conflict studies. He was the main founder of the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) in 1959 and served as its first director until 1970.

Who is Johan Galtung? He has developed several influential theories, such as the distinction between positive and negative peace, structural violence, theories on conflict and conflict resolution, the concept of peacebuilding,the structural theory of imperialism, and the theory of the United States as simultaneously a republic and an empire.

Unit 4 Lesson 12: Johan Galtung’s Conflict Triangle In this lesson we will explore the methodology put forward by Johan Galtung that can be used to explore the competing causes of conflict. We will focus on the Conflict Triangle that seeks to explore the relationship between Behavior, Attitudes, Contradictions and the way in which each of these elements contributes to conflict around the world.

Unit 4 Lesson 12: Johan Galtung’s Conflict Triangle We will look at how Galtung’s methodology can be applied to the conflict in Syria before attempting to apply his methodology to other conflicts around the world.

Unit 4 Lesson 12: Johan Galtung’s Conflict Triangle 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 “Behaviors, attitudes and contradictions act together to encourage violent conflict” - Galtung

Conflict Dynamics: Galtung’s Conflict Triangle IB Global Politics

Johan Galtung We understand that Violence is any physical, emotional, verbal, institutional, structural or spiritual behavior, 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 ‘Behaviors, attitudes and contradictions act together to encourage violent conflict’ - Galtung

Galtung’s Conflict Triangle Behavior Violence, genocide, insurgency attacks, discriminatory acts Galtung’s 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: Racism, discriminatory attitudes, sexism, victimhood, trauma Contradictions Inequality, dispute over territory or resources,

Conditions making violent conflict more like likely Conditions making violent conflict less likely

Conditions making violent conflict more likely: Conditions making violent conflict less 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 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)

Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict Behavior Violence, genocide, insurgency attacks, discriminatory acts Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict 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 attitudes, sexism, victimhood, trauma Contradictions Inequality, dispute over territory or resources, Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)

Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict Behavior Violence, genocide, insurgency attacks, discriminatory acts Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict Manifest Level: How people act encourages conflict, immediate evidence of conflict Attitudes/Assumptions: Assad government believes it should stay in power; that rebel forces are ‘terrorists’ challenging 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 Latent Level; How people think encourages conflict; deeper causes of conflict Contradictions Inequality, dispute over territory or resources, Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)

Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict Behavior Violence, genocide, insurgency attacks, discriminatory acts Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict Manifest Level: How people act encourages conflict, immediate evidence of conflict Attitudes/Assumptions: Assad government believes it should stay in power; that rebel forces are ‘terrorists’ challenging 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 Sunni majority is in in conflict with President’s Alawite sect, which has drawn in Sunni and Shia regional powers. Sunnis feel marginalised by Assad Shia led government; Islamic State believes it is right to create Sunni Muslim caliphate across Syria and Iraq – does not accept current international borders Latent Level; How people think encourages conflict; deeper causes of conflict Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)

Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict Behavior Assad government: military campaign against insurgency, chemical weapon attacks (Aug 2013) Sunni rebel forces: violent insurgency against Assad governemnt Islamic state: military campaign to establish Sunni Islamic caliphate, fought against Shia Muslims and Assad government; execution of western journalists Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict Manifest Level: How people act encourages conflict, immediate evidence of conflict Attitudes/Assumptions: Assad government believes it should stay in power; that rebel forces are ‘terrorists’ challenging 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 Sunni majority is in in conflict with President’s Alawite sect, which has drawn in Sunni and Shia regional powers. Sunnis feel marginalised by Assad Shia led government; Islamic State believes it is right to create Sunni Muslim caliphate across Syria and Iraq – does not accept current international borders Latent Level; How people think encourages conflict; deeper causes of conflict Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)

Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Behavior 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)

Apply Galtung’s Conflict Triangle to another conflict in the world Organize yourselves into groups of 4. Use the chart on the next page to organize your thoughts related to another conflict your group chose to analyze. Complete the chart. Then complete the Conflict Triangle related to the conflict your group chose. Use the chart to complete the Conflict Triangle. Put all 4 names on both the Chart & the Conflict Triangle. This will be handed in after presentations and discussion.

Conditions making violent conflict more like likely Conditions making violent conflict less likely

Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Behavior 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)