Constructive Conflicts: From Escalation to Resolution

In the ever-expanding field of conflict resolution literature, Louis Kriesberg's work is most prominent. Instead of conceiving of conflict as an abnormal state that needs be abolished, he instead considers that it is a normative state of affairs between parties. The key is not to 'resolve' or precipitate an end to conflicts, but is rather to transform the conflict from a destructive (negative-sum or zero-sum) to a constructive (positive-sum) framework. Toward this end, he offers an impressive catalogue of methods that might be considered for application, and examines a myriad of factors that play a role in constructing the framework of conflict.His is a particularly broad-minded approach, as Kriesberg even refuses to dismiss all armed, violent conflicts as implicitly destructive, rather arguing that there may be tangible positives that arise (though these are, for Kriesberg, primarily oriented toward inducing both parties to recognise the need to broker a settlement). Through this book, Kriesberg looks to alter the manner in which the scholarly and diplomatic worlds consider conflict and its resolution (transformation). This is nothing short of a seminal work.