poli 358 conflict and society in africa · (2011) contemporary conflict resolution, cambridge:...

College of Education

School of Continuing and Distance Education 2014/2015 – 2016/2017

POLI 358 CONFLICT AND SOCIETY IN AFRICA

SESSION 3 : THE PROTRACTED SOCIAL CONFLICT THEORY

Lecturer: Dr. Seidu Alidu Contact Information: [email protected] /[email protected]

Session Overview

This session will focus on explaining one of the critical theories employed to understand why conflicts

occur globally but quite relevant to the dynamics of the African society portrayed in session one. It is

called the Protracted Social Conflict Theory. This theory is associated to the work of the Lebanese born

but American based conflict resolution expert called Edward Azar and informed largely by repetitive

conflicts that were on-going in his country of birth.

The Protracted Social Conflict (PSC) theory holds the cause of majority of conflicts in the world is as a

result of the denial of basic needs such as security, recognition and fair access to political and economic

institutions and processes largely because of identity affiliations. This session is going to critically

examine this explanation and its three stage process (i.e., Gensis, Process and Outcome) and relate it to

the numerous conflicts fought in Africa.

10/24/2017 Lecturer: Dr. Seidu Alidu Slide 2

Session Outline

The key topics to be covered in this session are:

• Topic 1: DEFINITION AND NATURE OF PSC

• Topic 2: THE GENESIS OF PSC

• Topic 3: THE PROCESS OF PSC

• Topic 4: THE OUTCOME OF PSC

10/24/2017 Lecturer Dr. Seidu Alidu Slide 3

Reading materials

• William, P. D., (2011) War and Conflict in Africa, Cambridge:

Polity Press (PP. 13-35)

• Ramsbotham, O., Woodhouse, T., Miall, H., Third Edition,

(2011) Contemporary Conflict Resolution, Cambridge: Polity

Press (PP. 96-103)

• Barash, D.P. and Webel, C.P. (eds.) (2009) Peace and Conflict

Studies, 2nd edition, Thousand Oaks, California, Sage

publication

Lecturer: Dr. Seidu Alidu Slide 4 10/24/2017

Learning objectives

At the end of the session, students should be able to: • Understand the Protracted Social Conflict (PSC) theory • Understand the reasons and context within which the

theory was formulated • Become familiar with the three stage analysis of the

theory • Articulate the various conditions necessary for each stage

to occur • Appreciate the limitations of the theory • To apply the theory to conflicts in Africa


DEFINITION AND NATURE OF PSC

Topic one


DEFINITION AND NATURE

Protracted Social Conflicts (PSC) are those prolonged, intractable conflicts fought over the deprivation of basic needs as a result of communal identity (Azar, 1990). In PSC, the source of conflicts are attributable to issues within and across states rather than between them (Ramsbotham, et., al, 2011)

By nature PSC conflicts are: Prolonged or intractable

Faultlined along identity basis

Human needs are central

Mostly negative-sum


PRE-CONDITIONS FOR PSC OCCURENCE

Four preconditions are necessary for PSC to occur:

Communal content (degree of ethnic heterogeneity)

Needs (levels of human development)

Governance (state capacity and scales of political repression)

International linkages (cross-border fomentation and levels of arms imports)

10/24/2017 Lecturers: Dr. S Atindanbila /Mr. Muhammad Amin Jibril

Slide 8

THE GENESIS OF PSC Topic Two


THE GENESIS OF PSC

PSC is divided into stages and escalates along those stages. The first stage is known as the Genesis and consist of “preconditions” responsible for the transformation of non-conflictual situations into a conflictual one” (Azar, 1990;12). It has the following features: Communal content (i.e., multi-communal composition necessitated by colonial divide-

rule policies or through historical rivalries)

Human needs (Groups’ ability to access developmental needs and participate in decision making process)

Government and the role of the state (responsive to the needs of the people, low/no participation for minority groups, security and protection for minority groups)

International linkages (the extent to which internal state policies are dictated or influenced by external factors). This can occur in two forms: economic dependency and client relationship (i.e., security arrangements)


THE PROCESS OF PSC Topic Three


THE PROCESS OF PSC

The second stage of PSC is known as the “process dynamics” which are responsible for the activation of the preconditions given under the Genesis.

It consists of three main factors: Communal Actions and Strategies (in response to the evolving

preconditions in the Genesis)

State Actions and Strategies (in response to communal actions and strategies )

Built-in Mechanisms of Conflict (long term conflicts or long held perceptions and its effects on belligerents)


THE OUTCOME OF PSC Topic Four

10/24/2017 Lecturer Dr. Seidu Alidu Slide 13

OUTCOME OF PSC

The final stage of PSC details the consequences of a long drawn out conflict that is often negative-sum.

The following consequences are eminent:

Deterioration of physical security

Institutional deformity

Increased dependency and cliency


DIMESNION OF CONFLICT

Another aspect of the dimension of conflict is how conflict parties stand in relation to conflict and why they take those stands.

Three of such stands are important to this session:

Position (a party’s concrete demands in a conflict)

Interest (a party’s concern about a conflict issue)

10/24/2017 Lecturers: Dr. S Atindanbila /Mr. Muhammad Amin Jibril

Slide 15

References

• William, P. D., (2011) War and Conflict in Africa, Cambridge:

Polity Press (PP. 13-35)

• Ramsbotham, O., Woodhouse, T., Miall, H., Third Edition,

(2011) Contemporary Conflict Resolution, Cambridge: Polity

Press (PP. 96-103)

• Barash, D.P. and Webel, C.P. (eds.) (2009) Peace and Conflict

Studies, 2nd edition, Thousand Oaks, California, Sage

publication

Lecturers Dr. Seidu Alidu Slide 16 10/24/2017

poli 358 conflict and society in africa · (2011) contemporary conflict resolution, cambridge:...

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