Take note of all the areas where group conflict occurs...
Monday, March 23, 2009
Assimilation - The great American Melting Pot?
Assimilation, the merging of cultural traits from previously distinct cultural goups, provides a method of conflict reolution where it is hoped that the sum of the whole is greater than its individual parts. Our country was founded on the strength of many cultures and peoples (mainly from Europe) coming together to form a new union, and this is still occurring as immigrants from new lands continue to assimilate into the American way of life.
As a means of resolving conflict, however, assimilation is not an easy process, nor is it without its own major struggles. Ethnic assimilation asks that individuals give up their native language in public settings to interact with the mainstream society, and native cultural norms take a backseat to dominant norms in the new setting.
Overall theme: You have to give something up in order to assimilate. This may be voluntary, or it may be coerced.
Examples:
In Coaching: Once players join a new team, they need to learn new schemes and accept their position / role with the new team.
In teaching: Very evident with students that are non-native speakers. There is an article in the March 15th New York Times entitled: "Where Education and Assimilation Collide"
As a means of resolving conflict, however, assimilation is not an easy process, nor is it without its own major struggles. Ethnic assimilation asks that individuals give up their native language in public settings to interact with the mainstream society, and native cultural norms take a backseat to dominant norms in the new setting.
Overall theme: You have to give something up in order to assimilate. This may be voluntary, or it may be coerced.
Examples:
In Coaching: Once players join a new team, they need to learn new schemes and accept their position / role with the new team.
In teaching: Very evident with students that are non-native speakers. There is an article in the March 15th New York Times entitled: "Where Education and Assimilation Collide"
Association - Forming unions
Association as a means of conflict resolution requires neither party to change, but still acknowledges that a cooperative grouping exists. When you become a member of an association, you don't have to change, but you are still connected to everyone else who is also a member.
As a part of formal group conflict this may be the stage where you 'find common ground' As a teacher, I try to find areas of common interest with my students, and often the most difficult students come around when they find that we have something in common.
However, association doesn't mean that all conflict is resolved.
As a part of formal group conflict this may be the stage where you 'find common ground' As a teacher, I try to find areas of common interest with my students, and often the most difficult students come around when they find that we have something in common.
However, association doesn't mean that all conflict is resolved.
Annihilation- "Mutually Assured Destruction"
Annihilation - Wartime references of Annihilation often refer to a 'Mutually Assured Destruction', because the lasting outcome of an Annihilistic resolution to conflict is always in question. Globally, this type of resolution may be seen in situations such as:
Sri Lanka & the Tamil Tigers
The bishop of war-torn northern Sri Lanka has written to the country’s president warning that more than 100,000 people face “total annihilation” – unless an immediate evacuation gets under way.
Describing how government and rebel forces are preparing for “the final battle”, Bishop Thomas Savundaranayagam’s urgent message to President Mahinda Rajapaksa pleads on behalf of people trapped in a war zone in the north-east of the country.
The Bishop of Jaffna’s letter, a copy of which he sent to the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, comes as the armed forces of the Colombo-based government prepares for a final showdown with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also known as the Tamil Tigers.
Other global instances of Annihilation:
Nazi Germany & Jews
Israel & Palestine
Russia & Georgia
Looking at at more personal level, annihilation is the uneasy peace that results from total obliteration of the losing party.
A recent example from the world of sports:
Covenant coach who beat Dallas Academy 100-0 is fired
The Covenant School fired its girls basketball coach Sunday, the same day he posted a message on a youth basketball Web site saying he disagreed with school officials who had publicly apologized for the team's 100-0 victory over Dallas Academy.
Coaches- Think of those people who are 'locker room cancers'.
Teachers- Think of students who totally disrupted your teaching.
These people don't want to work together or assimilate, they want to obliterate everyone and everything that gets in their way.
Can you think of ways to deal with these kinds of people?
Sri Lanka & the Tamil Tigers
The bishop of war-torn northern Sri Lanka has written to the country’s president warning that more than 100,000 people face “total annihilation” – unless an immediate evacuation gets under way.
Describing how government and rebel forces are preparing for “the final battle”, Bishop Thomas Savundaranayagam’s urgent message to President Mahinda Rajapaksa pleads on behalf of people trapped in a war zone in the north-east of the country.
The Bishop of Jaffna’s letter, a copy of which he sent to the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, comes as the armed forces of the Colombo-based government prepares for a final showdown with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also known as the Tamil Tigers.
Other global instances of Annihilation:
Nazi Germany & Jews
Israel & Palestine
Russia & Georgia
Looking at at more personal level, annihilation is the uneasy peace that results from total obliteration of the losing party.
A recent example from the world of sports:
Covenant coach who beat Dallas Academy 100-0 is fired
The Covenant School fired its girls basketball coach Sunday, the same day he posted a message on a youth basketball Web site saying he disagreed with school officials who had publicly apologized for the team's 100-0 victory over Dallas Academy.
Coaches- Think of those people who are 'locker room cancers'.
Teachers- Think of students who totally disrupted your teaching.
These people don't want to work together or assimilate, they want to obliterate everyone and everything that gets in their way.
Can you think of ways to deal with these kinds of people?
Friday, March 20, 2009
Conflict and Its Resolution
When looking for an article on conflict management I found an article by Susan A. Holton(Bridgewater State College) entitled "Cracks in the Ivory Tower: Conflict Management in the Classroom -and Beyond". I pasted the text into wordle and created this word cloud.
Let's look at some of the words most closely associated with conflict:
- Parties
- Important
- Identify
- Criteria
- Management
-Solution / Solutions
Solutions to group conflict are often grouped into three possible outcomes:
* Assimilation
* Association
* Annihilation
Let's look at some of the words most closely associated with conflict:
- Parties
- Important
- Identify
- Criteria
- Management
-Solution / Solutions
Solutions to group conflict are often grouped into three possible outcomes:
* Assimilation
* Association
* Annihilation
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