Processes

Abstract

Insisting upon the importance of the dynamic aspects of conflict is splendid in principle, but advancing knowledge of such dynamic processes has proved difficult. It is a commonplace that conflicts change over time. The most obvious aspect is change in the behaviour of the parties as they alter strategies and react to each other’s actions, making minor escalatory or de-escalatory moves, or initiating major changes such as adopting coercion instead of conciliation. These behaviour patterns of the parties in conflict constitute a process that changes over time as the conflict develops giving rise to questions such as ‘Is the conflict repetitive and cyclical, or characterised by a linear pattern of escalation?’ or ‘To what extent is the pattern of inter-action between the parties symmetric and to what extent one-sided?’