1. Conflict Dynamics: Galtung’s Conflict Triangle

2. Johan Galtung
We understand that Violence is any physical, emotional, verbal, institutional, structural or spiritual behaviour, attitude, policy or condition that diminishes, dominates or destroys others and ourselves.
Violence is one of the possible responses to specific conflict situations. This does not imply that violence is unavoidable.
Violence is not inevitable and it must not be confused with conflict.

3. Galtung explored causes of violent conflict
In societies with conflict, - possible to identify both specific causes and more general conditions that make violent conflict more likely
Different sides unlikely to agree on causes
‘Behaviours, attitudes and contradictions act together to encourage violent conflict’
- Galtung

4. Galtung’s Conflict Triangle
Behaviour
Violence, genocide, insurgency attacks, discriminatory acts
Galtung’s Conflict Triangle
Manifest Level:
How people act encourages conflict, immediate evidence of conflict
Latent Level;
How people think encourages conflict; deeper causes of conflict
Attitudes/Assumptions:
Racism, discriminatory attitudes, sexism, victimhood, trauma
Contradictions
Inequality, dispute over territory or resources,

5. Conditions making violent conflict more likely
Conditions making violent conflict less likely

6. Conditions making violent conflict more likely:
Conditions making violent conflict less likely:
Little or no democratic means of dispute resolution; minorities excluded from political representation
Wealth, territory or resources shared unequally and controlled by powerful elites
Poverty
Government is above the law, making arbitrary and illegitimate decisions
Judicial system is absent or interfered with, not independent or fair
Human rights are abused
Democratic institutions exist, with full political equality and participation
Equal sharing of resources and wealth
Equality of opportunity for all
Government respects the rule of law
Disputes can be resolved fairly through a fair and independent judicial system
Respect for human rights (especially of minorities)

7. Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict
Behaviour
Violence, genocide, insurgency attacks, discriminatory acts
Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict
Manifest Level:
How people act encourages conflict, immediate evidence of conflict
Latent Level;
How people think encourages conflict; deeper causes of conflict
Attitudes/Assumptions:
Racism, discriminatory attitudes, sexism, victimhood, trauma
Contradictions
Inequality, dispute over territory or resources,
Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)

8. Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict
Behaviour
Violence, genocide, insurgency attacks, discriminatory acts
Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict
Manifest Level:
How people act encourages conflict, immediate evidence of conflict
Attitudes/Assumptions:
Assad government believes it should stay in power; that rebel forces are ‘terrorists’ challenging legitimate authority of the state. Sunni rebels feel Assad government is not legitimate, demanding greater representation and political equality; Sunnis marginalized by Assad-led Shia government
Latent Level;
How people think encourages conflict; deeper causes of conflict
Contradictions
Inequality, dispute over territory or resources,
Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)

9. Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict
Behaviour
Violence, genocide, insurgency attacks, discriminatory acts
Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict
Manifest Level:
How people act encourages conflict, immediate evidence of conflict
Attitudes/Assumptions:
Assad government believes it should stay in power; that rebel forces are ‘terrorists’ challenging legitimate authority of the state. Sunni rebels feel Assad government is not legitimate, demanding greater representation and political equality; Sunnis marginalized by Assad-led Shia government
Contradictions
Sunni majority is in in conflict with President’s Alawite sect, which has drawn in Sunni and Shia regional powers. Sunnis feel marginalised by Assad Shia led government; Islamic State believes it is right to create Sunni Muslim caliphate across Syria and Iraq – does not accept current international borders
Latent Level;
How people think encourages conflict; deeper causes of conflict
Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)

10. Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict
Behaviour
Assad government: military campaign against insurgency, chemical weapon attacks (Aug 2013)
Sunni rebel forces: violent insurgency against Assad governemnt
Islamic state: military campaign to establish Sunni Islamic caliphate, fought against Shia Muslims and Assad government; execution of western journalists
Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle: Syria Conflict
Manifest Level:
How people act encourages conflict, immediate evidence of conflict
Attitudes/Assumptions:
Assad government believes it should stay in power; that rebel forces are ‘terrorists’ challenging legitimate authority of the state. Sunni rebels feel Assad government is not legitimate, demanding greater representation and political equality; Sunnis marginalized by Assad-led Shia government
Contradictions
Sunni majority is in in conflict with President’s Alawite sect, which has drawn in Sunni and Shia regional powers. Sunnis feel marginalised by Assad Shia led government; Islamic State believes it is right to create Sunni Muslim caliphate across Syria and Iraq – does not accept current international borders
Latent Level;
How people think encourages conflict; deeper causes of conflict
Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)

11. Applying Galtung’s Conflict Triangle:
Behaviour
Manifest Level:
How people act encourages conflict, immediate evidence of conflict
Latent Level;
How people think encourages conflict; deeper causes of conflict
Attitudes/Assumptions:
Contradictions
Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)