Sunday, December 4, 2016

Conflicts Play At Multiple Levels
Who Cares?

When we focus only on one dimension, or worse only see one level, our efforts to address the conflict are more likely to get derailed and fail or even contribute to an the outcome we wish to avoid.
Substantive v Process: think of the argument with your boss over your wages as the substantive conflict and the equally important tug-O-war with your boss over how you will conduct this argument as the simultaneous argument over what you are arguing about and according to what rules and expectations?
Presenting v Principle: think of the argument over whether or not Rosa Parks will be allowed to sit in the back of the bus as the presenting argument and the argument over whether or not the state will prohibit bus drivers from requiring people to sit in the back of the bus on the basis of their skin color as the (deeper) conflict over principle.
In both cases above, when we see only on the levels usually focused on in the media, substantive or presenting, we may ‘win’ the battle and lost the war. We are unlikely to see important strategic dimensions that our opponents are focusing on to win the process or principle level. Thus, impacting this and future substantive and presenting level outcomes as well.

Galanter’s distinction between (affluent insider) repeat players enjoying a structural advantage because they can choose to lose a given presenting conflict in order to ‘play for a rule’ that will alter the rules of the game in their favor over the long run is a good illustration. One-shotters (regular folks) do not have this strategic option in court.

A local activist I always learn something from touched on one aspect of this in a Letter to the Editor in today’s ABJ:

With the nation seemingly more divided that ever following the election, people of good will on all sides can make several commitments to seek common ground.
Make a distinction between criticizing the ideas or actions of a person and criticizing the person himself or herself. Asserting, for example, that someone’s ideas are ignorant is different than asserting that the person is inherently ignorant.
Treat everyone will dignity and respect, regardless of gender, race, religion, income, sexual orientation, geographic home and political beliefs. 
There are several issues that arose during the election that should be explored by all sides for solutions, beginning at the community level. Draining the swamp of lobbyists and reducing the corrupting influence of big money in elections is one. Increasing jobs lost due to corporate-friendly trade deals and automation is another. Preventing foreign wars that risk U.S. lives is a third. Support for an accessible and affordable health care system that avoids government and corporate intrusion is one more.
This list is a start. The vast majority of individuals in our country have more in common than differences. Let’s make sure our nation’s political and economic power elites don’t divide and conquer us.

Greg Coleridge

Director, Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee

Below, I start to play with the idea of thinking about these two dimensions together in one matrix. May not work, but thought I would toss it out there.

Other levels to consider: cultural and emotional. Not sure if these can be productively folded in here or if the absence of an explicit inclusion dooms this matrix from that start. Similarly, does this allow and enhance integrating analysis of power imbalances as well?


Substantive Level
Process Level
Presenting Level
Winner of Struggle Over Scope and Salience in Current News Cycle, Tip of Iceberg, Focus of Mass Media in Daily News Cycle, Mobilizing Those Most Concerned and Working Hard
Focus of those working hard and smart on how to effectively address this particular conflict
Principle Level
Focus of Elites on both sides to either amplify or mute on the basis of how this is expected to impact the rules of the game (precedent) moving forward
Focus of Elites on both sides to either amplify or mute on the basis of how this is expected to impact the audiences paying attention to this and how these might impact the outcome of the presenting conflict and the rules of the game

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