Institute of Nordic Mediation
Sandakerveien 30
0473 Oslo
Norway
Solution and Learning in Conflict
Disruptive, ongoing conflicts have to be mediated, emerging conflicts to be managed, and potential conflicts must be prevented.
INM’s framework is rooted in what we define as the three "orders of solutions" to conflicts. These range from the immediate de-escalation of tensions (first order), to fostering long-term constructive relationships (second order), to addressing deeper societal and systemic changes (third order). Mediators trained at INM are equipped to handle conflicts at all three levels, ensuring not only conflict resolution but also the creation of lasting change and deeper understanding among the parties involved.
- All of a mediator’s facilitative competences is required to help parties in the conflict to resolve it peacefully.
- Convincing parties to take learnings of what might have been done differently, and accept their responsibility may be harder.
- Preventing conflicts is often seen as use of unnecessary means.
According to scholars like Skivik the orders of conflict transformation are as below:
- Deals with parties in a conflict
- Verifiying whether the conflict is apt for mediation
- (De)escalating the conflict so parties accept mediation
- Humanize the other parties in the conflict
- Establish everyone’s responsibility
- Facilitating solutions to the conflict
- Clearifying consequences for the 2nd order
- Maintaining a constructive relationship after a conflict
- Parties learn more about themselves and their conflict behaviour
- Reflexive learnings from the conflict; what could we have done differently
- How acknowledgeble are we to our own and others’ feelings?
- What conflict management routines can be established?
- How can conflict management routines be kept relevant and alive
- Conflict as a problem or a possibility?
- Conditions inhibiting conflict resolution?
- Factors enhancing escalation
- Conditions of collaborations between the parties
- Personal reactions; your own and others’
The three orders of changes in conflict, can also be denominated 1) conflict resolution, 2) conflict management, and 3) prevention of conflict.
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