Understanding the Sustainability of Insurgency Conflict in Thailand

Abstract

This article seeks to model the insurgency conflict in the three southern border provinces of the Kingdom of Thailand: Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat. In so doing, it will explore the sustainability of the conflict by representing it in terms of a conflict life cycle that is responsive to complexity and change. The cycle arises from the cybernetic viable systems theory of ‘living systems’, and is able to foster a better understanding of what is happening empirically on the social level in these provinces, in respect to a situation characterized as one of incessant conflicts. This conflict model that arises suggests that there is an interconnection between the agents involved, and their individual and interactive dynamics. The conflict involves five types of politically related behaviours that occur between two interactive agents: the state (engaged in searching for and making arrests of insurgents) and the insurgents (engaged in violent acts of shooting, bombing, and arson). These agents are studied to the end of being able to determine the precise interactive nature of the political conflict in which they are engaged. In carrying out this investigation both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used. The research was carried out in three stages. In the first stage, time series techniques were used to determine inferentially whether the conflict is both rational and involves interactive behaviours. Stage two adopts the Weibull distribution technique to assess the political conflict. In the third stage, a statistical analysis is conducted of the conflict situation in political terms. Finally, it is explained how the model and the methods used in this article may be used to deal with intractable conflict in other social environments, incidentally tracking the likelihood of conflicts being sustainable. Other agencies could utilize this approach in examining other political conflicts so as to be better able to prepare suitable approaches for coping with intractable conflicts to the end of fostering sustainable peace processes.     

Post-Separation Conflict Trajectories: A Longitudinal Study

Although previous studies have shown that parental separation and parental conflict contribute independently to the adaptation difficulties of young people, there is, as of yet, no precise portrait of how post-separation conflicts evolve. Indeed, some fundamental questions remain unanswered: (1) Do parents who experience few conflicts during their break-up continue to enjoy a harmonious relationship afterward? (2) When parents have a conflictual relationship in the first years after separating, do problems eventually subside? (3) Are a family's characteristics associated with the way a post-separation conflict evolves? The present, exploratory study attempts to provide some answers to these three questions. The sample was composed of 123 boys and girls from 8 to 11 years old. The children and their parents were interviewed on two separate occasions at a 1-year interval. The first interview (time 1) took place 2.5 years after the separation on average. The children were notably asked to give their perception of the parental conflict. Four post-separation conflict trajectories were brought to light. Analysis also targeted three more-specific variables that distinguished these conflict trajectories, namely family income, quality of the relationship with the mother, and the degree of agreement at the time of separation.     

Intimate Relationships of the Intellectually Gifted: Attachment Style,Conflict Style,and Relationship Satisfaction Among Members of the Mensa Society

To date relatively little is known about the intimate relationships of the intellectually gifted and the way they attach themselves to and handle conflicts with their intimate partner. The present study examined these issues by examining the relationship between attachment styles, conflict styles, and relationship quality in a sample of 196 adult members of the Mensa society. These results were compared with findings from a general community sample (n = 145). Results showed that, overall, Mensa members showed similar levels of relationship quality compared with the control sample but also tended to deal less constructively with conflicts and reported higher levels of fearful attachment. Analyses showed that the relations between relationship quality, conflict styles, and attachment were comparable in the two samples, with the exception of the role of fearful attachment in the relationship. Conflict styles mediated the relations between attachment and relationship quality in both samples. Results are discussed in light of the scarce knowledge on the intimate relationships of the gifted.     

Interparental Conflict and Adolescents' Romantic Relationship Conflict

This study examined associations between interparental conflict and adolescents' romantic relationship conflict. High school seniors ( N =183) who lived with married parents completed questionnaires about their parents' marriage and their own romantic relationships. A subset of 88 adolescents was also observed interacting with their romantic partners. Adolescents' perceptions and appraisals of interparental conflict were related to the amount of conflict in romantic relationship and adolescents' conflict styles. Adolescents' appraisals of interparental conflict (i.e., self-blame, perceived threat) moderated many of the associations between interparental conflict and conflict behavior with romantic partners. The patterns of moderated effects differed by gender. These findings suggest that the meanings boys and girls ascribe to interparental conflict are important for understanding how family experiences contribute to the development of romantic relationships.     

Adolescent Perceptions of Conflict in Interdependent and Disengaged Friendships

Interdependent and disengaged friendships in a middle‐class sample of suburban Israeli adolescents were examined for differences in reports of conflict behavior. A total of 194 (100 females, and 94 males) close, reciprocal friends participated in a joint problem‐solving task used to categorize friendships. Interdependent friends balanced closeness and individuality by cooperating on the task, whereas disengaged friends emphasized individuality by working independently on the task. In separate interviews, these friends recounted their most important conflict from the previous week. Older adolescents (M= 17.4 years) reported more conflicts over private disrespect than did younger adolescents (M= 12.7 years), whereas younger adolescents reported more conflicts over public disrespect and undependability than did older adolescents. Differences between friendship types in conflict initiation, negative affect, and relationship impact were found among older adolescents but not younger adolescents; differences in conflict resolutions were found in both age groups. In contrast to disengaged friends, interdependent friends were better able to manage conflicts in a manner that emphasized relationship harmony over individual gain.     

末世论和全球社会政治冲突——以巴以冲突为例

宗教原教旨主义者的末世论成了全球社会政治冲突一种不可忽视的动因,它不仅导致了许多国家内在的社会政治断裂,也加剧了当今伊斯兰世界与西方的矛盾和冲突。巴以冲突就是一个末世论产生重要影响的典型个案。末世论是以色列的信仰者集团、美国的基督教右翼积极在巴勒斯坦被占领土上推进定居点运动,阻扰和平进程的重要动因。这两者的进攻性行动破坏了伊斯兰世界的认同,损害了他们的权利、尊严和拯救前景,从而引起哈马斯、真主党等激进伊斯兰主义者同样带有末世情结的伊斯兰群体以圣战为主要形式的抗争。     

Conflict and Conflict Resolution in a Cooperative: The Case of the Nir Taxi Station

What conflict resolution mechanisms dodemocratic worker cooperatives generate and to whatextent could these mechanisms be called democratic? Thiscase study tries to address these questions by examining both conflict and conflict resolution in ademocratic organization, a 66-year-old taxi cooperative.The conflicts presented stem from three main sources:ethnic origin, local division of labor, and“class” affiliation. These conflicts are resolvedthrough different processes, ranging from a joke-tellingritual to a formal tribunal composed of elected judges.Discussion centers on unique aspects of conflict resolution in a democratic worker cooperativeand their implications for studies of conflictresolution in nondemocratic firms.     

末世论和全球社会政治冲突——以巴以冲突为例

宗教原教旨主义者的末世论成了全球社会政治冲突一种不可忽视的动因,它不仅导致了许多国家内在的社会政治断裂,也加剧了当今伊斯兰世界与西方的矛盾和冲突。巴以冲突就是一个末世论产生重要影响的典型个案。末世论是以色列的信仰者集团、美国的基督教右翼积极在巴勒斯坦被占领土上推进定居点运动,阻扰和平进程的重要动因。这两者的进攻性行动破坏了伊斯兰世界的认同,损害了他们的权利、尊严和拯救前景,从而引起哈马斯、真主党等激进伊斯兰主义者同样带有末世情结的伊斯兰群体以"圣战"为主要形式的抗争。     

Everyday Conflict and Stress Among Older African American Women

Abstract

Older African American women are at high risk for morbidity due to anger suppression and stress. Yet sources of everyday stress and conflict in the lives of older African American women have not been documented. Such information is essential for developing health promotion programs. A focus group study was conducted with older African American women on everyday stress and conflict. Everyday stress stemmed from worries about functional disability and about accessing transportation. Everyday conflicts occurred with adult children, teen-aged grandchildren, and older neighbors or peers. Conflicts with adult children centered on how the adult child was raising his/her children. Conflicts with grandchildren centered on social respect. Conflicts with neighbors/peers centered on perceived rudeness or past transgressions. Participant strategies for dealing with stress and conflict tended to be avoidant. A training program in constructive conflict strategies for older African American women is presented that draws on information gained in the focus groups.     

How Rumination Affects Marital Conflict in Iranian Women: A Qualitative Study

Rumination can cause numerous problems for an individual. Previous studies have indicated that the tendency of women toward rumination is greater than that of men. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate how rumination might affect marital conflict in Iranian women. This qualitative study has a thematic analysis design. Using purposeful sampling, women were recruited to be interviewed using a semistructured manual, and the sampling continued until it reached saturation (N = 63). Analysis of the data showed that findings could be grouped into 5 themes: insecure attachment style, deteriorating behaviors, deactivation, uncertainty about the relationship, and negative emotions. The finding of this research is that when marital conflicts are not solved, insecure attachment styles are activated, possibly resulting in rumination. As a result, rumination will exacerbate the negative emotions and marital relationship quality.     

What Do We Do When We Discuss? A Micro‐genetic Analysis of Couples’ Conflict

This article focuses on dialogic discursive dynamics present in couples’ conversations about unresolved conflicts. The phenomenon of conflict is addressed as a semiotically mediated process of co‐construction of the self and the relationship. The purpose of this article is to report on patterns of meaning construction in couples’ conflict, with the identification of strategies that promote or hinder resolution. A qualitative exploratory approach was used to focus on the interactional process at the micro‐processing level. Eight married couples participated in the study. The procedure considered asking the couple to discuss unresolved conflict. Recorded data of couples’ dialogues were transcribed to text and assessed through semiotic analysis using a microgenetic protocol (Molina, Del Río, & Tapia, 2015). The results document the use of strategies for conflict regulation such as psychological distancing, opposition, and generalisation on the border between protecting the bond and regulating tension. The dynamics of non‐resolution manifested in polarisation and rigid patterns with increased tension. The ‘in‐motion’ nature of dialogue about conflict is pushed by the semiotic tension that induces variations in subjective positions manifested in speech and actions.     

Conflict and Conflict Resolution in Citizen Participation Programs:

Conflicts between governmental agencies and individuals are common in citizen participation programs. One source of these conflicts is barriers to full participation in decision-making. This paper identifies and examines these barriers. It also highlights how conflict may be reduced through the removal of these barriers in the case study of a community during a citizen participation program. The implications for program changes and community organizers are discussed.     

The Organization and Dynamics of Adolescent Conflict with Parents and Friends

In telephone interviews, 212 adolescents described all disagreements arising the preceding day that involved parents or friends. Conflicts were organized in a similar manner in both relationships: Topics, resolutions, and outcomes were linked together and were usually tied to affect afterward. The specific dynamics of conflict, however, varied in a manner that reflects differences in relationship power and stability. Relative to those with friends, parent‐child conflicts more often involved a combination of daily hassle topics, neutral or angry affect afterward, power‐assertive resolutions, and win‐lose outcomes. Relative to those with parents, friend conflicts more often involved a combination of relationship topics, friendly affect afterward, disengaged resolutions, and equal or no outcomes. Most differences in disagreement dynamics were not a function of differences in the rate at which topics of conflict arose in each relationship: Across topics, parents usually reported more coercion than friends, and friends usually reported more mitigation than parents.     

Workplace bullying and interpersonal conflicts: the moderation effect of supervisor’s power / Acoso laboral y conflictos interpersonales: el papel moderador de las bases de poder del supervisor

Abstract

Workplace bullying is considered the final stage of a prolonged conflict where there is a power imbalance between the affected parties and where emotional and relational problems exist. Thus, this study aims to explore the role of employee perceptions about the supervisor’s power bases on the relationship of conflict (i.e., task and relationship conflicts) and bullying at work. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted (N = 211). Results support a moderated-mediation model in which relationship conflict mediates the association between task conflict and workplace bullying, suggesting a conflict escalation process in bullying situations. In addition, establishing personal power bases seems to reduce the intensity of the link between task conflict and relationship conflict and, in turn, workplace bullying, whereas establishing positional power bases was not related to this association. Practical implications for bullying prevention are discussed.     

The Nagorno Karabakh Conflict through the Prism of the Image of the Enemy

The post-Soviet space is fraught with multiple problems, risks and threats caused by unresolved conflicts. The vast majority of these conflicts possess a strong ethno-political component that complicates all the conflict resolution attempts: neglect of the role of ethnicity in interstate and intrastate conflicts can lead to overt conflict on the one hand and a deadlocked situation in respect to all mediation on the other hand. This article focuses upon the role and impact of ethnicity factor and the ways in which it is exploited and manipulated. The Nagorno Karabakh conflict serves as the major empirical case.     

Israel, Northern Ireland, and South Africa at a Crossroads: Understanding Intergroup Conflict, Peace-Building, and Conflict Resolution

The Israeli, Northern Ireland, and South African conflicts are compared to explore the underlying nature of conflict in these three conflict zones. The nature of the state and the economy, the treatment of dissenting non-dominant groups by the state, and the role of external regional powers are examined to illustrate some of the driving forces behind the conflict in these three regions. Also, the recent peace processes are critically outlined. Finally, this article investigates how a transformational peace building process is critical to the constructive development of a participatory democracy in these three civic cultures.     

Acculturation,Social Support,and Family Conflict: Korean–American Adolescents’ Perceptions

Numerous studies have examined the nature of parent–adolescent relationships within mainstream families; but few have focused on conflicts in the Korean immigrant population. In addition, there has been no attempt to develop and test a theory-driven model of social service practices for the immigrant families. Thus, the current study developed and tested a structural equation model based on three latent variables, which are acculturation, social support system, and family conflict. This study offers a first step by investigating the overall nature and outcome of conflict between parents and adolescents. The analysis with data taken from 304 Korean American adolescents, ages 14–18, revealed that a social support system was the most significant means of predicting immigrant family conflicts. A number of practice applications, based on the results, along with implications for future study were discussed, and proved a great need for a support system.     

Anticipated Work‐Family Conflict: Effects of Gender,Self‐Efficacy,and Family Background

Anticipated levels of 2 types of work‐family conflict (WFC) were studied among 358 students from 2 universities. The study examined the contribution of gender, parental models of child care and housework, and self‐efficacy to the variance in anticipated WFC. Findings demonstrated that the bidirectionality of the relations between work and family life also exists in anticipated conflicts. A number of gender‐related differences emerged: Women anticipated higher levels of work interfering with family and family interfering with work and demonstrated lower efficacy in managing these conflicts than did men. Exposure to an egalitarian child care model correlated with lower anticipated levels of work interfering with family. Self‐efficacy correlated negatively with both types of conflict. Implications for further research and career programs are discussed.     

Conflict resolution through voluntary provision of property protection

This paper reports the results of an experimental test of Nash equilibrium predictions of voluntary provision of property protection in a contest with an endogenously determined prize. The experiment investigates whether the mechanism of allowing irreversible contributions to security prior to choices over production and conflict induces positive provision of property protection due to the strategic effect on conflict, resulting in greater production. We find robust evidence that contributions to security increase with sequential decision-making, resulting in less conflict. However, there is no evidence that production increased. There is evidence larger groups resulted in less property protection and greater conflict.     

When is the State's Gaze Focused? British Royal Commissions and the Bureaucratization of Conflict

Scholars have long documented changes in knowledge regimes and power relations characteristic of state‐centric drives to pacify conflicts and govern populations. But the mechanisms through which social conflicts are “made legible” in routine policy processes – as well as the reasons why some ongoing conflicts are pacified and others are persistent – have remained less clear. I explore these issues through an analysis of the shifting analytic terrain of national‐level commissions of inquiry, an historically powerful form of government organization designed to combine publicly‐engaged and “objective” explanation with recommendations for concrete policies of governance. Drawing principally on 19^th and early 20^th Century British Royal Commissions, I show how investigations into three fields of social conflict – involving prisoners, the working class, and colonial populations – were characterized by cyclical drives to bureaucratize conflict. Yet strikingly, only two of the three substantive fields – prisons and labor – achieved relative bureaucratic closure. Evidence from commission reports is marshaled to explain why some types of conflict have been resistant to incorporation, while others are more readily absorbed into an apparatus of governance.