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The International Online Training Program on Intractable Conflict provides a variety of distance learning options for people interested in more constructive approaches to difficult and intractable conflicts. Created by the University of Colorado Conflict Research Consortium with support from the United States Institute of Peace and the Hewlett Foundation, this program is available to Internet users world-wide at:
http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace
The training program provides an economical alternative or supplement to travel-based training for disputants and intermediaries. The program provides information on basic conflict management strategies as well as more advanced techniques for dealing with intractable conflicts. Materials can be used independently for self study or as a supplementary resource which contributes to more conventional face-to-face training and education programs. The program is written in simple language (with an online glossary) so that it is appropriate for people with a limited knowledge of English. While it emphasizes intractable conflict problems in the developing democracies and elsewhere in the "two-thirds" world, this program is useful for anyone facing difficult conflict.
Designed for people with limited access to the academic or professional literature, the system contains over 1000 pages of full-text material with analyses of 100 common conflict problems and 200 strategies for limiting those problems. Summaries of 200 articles and books and links to another 200 web-accessible documents provide a theoretical background for and illustrations of the ideas presented. The program also permits dialogue among users, and encourages other conflict research, education, and training organizations to join the project as collaborators.
Program Assumptions
Our approach to resolution-resistant conflicts draws heavily from conflict resolution practice and peace and conflict scholarship. It also incorporates ideas from specialists in advocacy, community organization, and nonviolent direct action. Unlike those who seek resolution for its own sake, we seek justice, fairness, good decisions, and wise solutions. Sometimes this means working to resolve a conflict, while at other times, it means continuing the conflict, but in a more constructive way.
Another important element of our approach is that we use a smaller unit of analysis than is common. Rather than looking at the conflict as a whole, we look at each aspect of the conflict to see what is working well and what is not-and thus, what needs to be changed. The approach suggested is different for each conflict situation-we do not try to apply one standard approach to all situations. Our goal is to help users fix as many of the incremental problems as possible, and reduce the magnitude of the remainder, thus allowing users to pursue their goals in more positive ways, even before the conflict is resolved.
Although many of our "treatments" require cooperation between contending parties, (often through intermediaries), others can be implemented unilaterally. Similarly, some treatments are relatively easy for the parties to implement, while others require that they develop new dispute-handling skills or secure the assistance of conflict professionals.
Unlike other forms of dispute resolution, this incremental approach can work in situations where resolution-based approaches cannot. It is also appropriate where major changes in dispute-handling processes or decision-making institutions are unlikely. In addition to providing support for people in third-party, intermediary roles, the program also highlights steps which disputants can take without third party intervention or assistance