Transforming communal conflicts through the disputants (Local-local parties)

What is it about?

In this article, we suggest rethinking the conflict resolution agenda among seemingly latent intractable communal conflicts by moving toward a constructive transformation of these conflicts. We connect Coser’s theorization on social conflict and Lederach’s conflict transformational ideas to, first, offer an alternative way of reconceptualizing conflict in ways that focus on harnessing the inherent potentialities of conflicts while changing the negative relational patterns among disputants; second, we propose emancipation from the local turn in peacebuilding to a local-local turn that will create a sense of local ownership, legitimize the process and increase the likelihood of acceptable and durable outcomes. To substantialize our argument, we present phenomenologically generated evidence from the Nkonya–Alavanyo conflict, which persists for over a century despite several attempts at its resolution. The conflict revolves around two truths derived from two maps and two tales and is overshadowed by mutual accusations and historically conditioned distrust of mediators.

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Why is it important?

The article is particularly important because it provides the basis for a conceptual-theoretical rethinking of the conflict by pushing for conflict transformation based on the failure of all previous attempts at resolving the conflict. It also draws attention to the all-too-important but often missing voices of disputants (local-local people) as critical ingredient in the search for peace.

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