GV 506: Week 5 1.Alternative Perspectives to Realism 2.Psychological Dimensions of Conflict: Images and Beliefs

Alternative Theories to Realism (cont. from previous week) Liberalism Human Needs Theory Dominant conception of human nature: Evil! Aggressive! (Machiavelli, Hobbes, Morgenthau) What is we reshape the discussion: focus on human needs… Maslow and the pyramid of human needs Galtung: 4 classes of needs (survival, well-being, identity, freedom) Biological predispositions vs. cultural restructuring of patterns of behavior Universal patterns of behavior Emotions and their relation to needs: human behavior based on needs Individual needs and reference (identity) groups State survival vs. individual needs Peace Studies and integrative power

Boulding’s three faces of power Threat power Deterrence State authority over citizens Economic power Integrative power Legitimacy, persuasion, loyalty All three faces of power are necessary: Why? Examples: Soviet Union, Germany during WWII, British empire

Social Psychological Factors Behaviour at the individual and group level Emphasis on social rather than cognitive psychology Significance of context and environmental factors

Conflict under the prism of social psychology Conflict as a process driven by collective needs and fears Conflict as a complicated, multifaceted process Conflict as an interactive and escalatory dynamic

Psychological factors that lead to conflict Collective moods (e.g. ethnic mobilization) Formation of group loyalties Predisposition towards negotiation and bargaining Formation of mirror images