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Executive Summary: Technology and Conflict
Daisja Lattimore
Liberty University
COMS 560
Dr. Katsion
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Executive Summary: Technology and Conflict
Conflict is something that happens during most relationships. It is inevitable. Not only
does conflict occur during real life relationships, but also on digital and social media platforms.
Many times, users on these platforms are involved in debates or since the tone of voice is not
heard, they are misunderstood. John Paul Lederach discussed in his book and in his video,
strategies to go from trying to resolve conflict that is already happening, to transforming conflict
and building peace. Conflict resolution is the act of trying to find a solution for a problem in that
exact moment while conflict transformation is figuring out the context of not only the situation,
but the relationship of both parties to possibly find a way to keep the conflict from even
happening in the first place. The goal of conflict transformation is to change from the ground up
and not just in the moment. The strategies that were discussed in both can be used for in person
relationships and also those that are online. One strategy that stood out is to maximize
communication and to minimize misunderstandings. One who learns how to maximize
communication will also learn how to decrease the misunderstandings because questions that
need to be asked will be learned. Another strategy that was discussed is learning how to become
a mediator. Mediators are able to recognize feelings and emotions and should be able to act on
them as they should. Mediators should be able to help both conflicting parties realize and express
their feelings while also making sure that they are still being logical and not solely acting on
emotion.
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Strategies for Conflict on Digital and Social Media
Dealing with conflict can be a difficult task. Conflict is bound to happen within
relationships. In society today, technology has completely taken over and most people are using
social media platforms. When using these platforms, conflict still also occurs. If conflict happens
in relationships in real life, it is sure to happen on social media with individuals that do not know
each other. Although these conflicts happen, it is important to develop strategies in order to
reduce the conflict and also to resolve them. Scripture Ephesians 4:31-32 reads “let all bitterness
and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be
kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you(English
Standard Version Holy Bible, 2011, Ephesians 4:31-32). This bible verse translates that as
Christians we should learn to ignore all of the negative and be kind to one another and be
forgiving. God has forgiven us for our sins, therefore we should be able to be forgiving of each
other. When using social and digital media, it is important to be forgiving and to not let the
negative impact or influence the mind.
John Paul Lederach made some very interesting points in the video “From Conflict to
Strategic Peacebuilding” and in the book, The little book of conflict transformation: clear
articulation of the guiding principles by a pioneer in the field. Lederach(2003) discusses that the
focus needs to be on conflict transformation and no longer on conflict resolution. Resolution is
finding the solution to a situation involving conflict while transformation focuses on change and
how to move one thing from another. It is also mentioned that conflict resolution requires
focusing all one's attention on the situation while conflict transformation focuses on the context
of the relationship and the patterns within those relationships. Conflict resolution and conflict
transformation were important to discuss because conflict resolution stops conflict, but conflict
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transformation has the potential to prevent conflicts before they start. The strategies mentioned
below may possibly help to prevent conflict on digital media.
The first important idea that was mentioned by Lederach (2003) is that it is essential to
reduce poor communication and to maximize mutual understanding. This is significant because
most causes of conflict are due to poor communication and a lack of communication.Gamil and
Abd Rahman (2022) note that unsuccessful communication is one of the main causes of dispute.
Gamil and Abd Rahman (2022) also found that effective communication is the best way to
strengthen a relationship. A useful strategy is to learn how to be an effective communicator.
Becoming a successful communicator will give one the tools that are needed to ask questions and
make statements to ensure that there is mutual understanding. For digital media, this is helpful
because when effective communication is learned, it will be known how to say certain things that
will come off in a tone of voice that will not be seen as confrontational or in a negative way. It
will also be easier for others on social media to want to resolve conflict easier if one is easy to
communicate with.
Another strategy that can be used is that was mentioned by Lederach in the video From
Conflict Resolution to Strategic Peacebuilding is to learn how to be a mediator. Kalter et al.
(2013) assert that mediators should be able to recognize different emotions and act accordingly.
This will aid the mediator in being successful in resolving the conflict according to Kalter et al.
(2013). Gaining the skills of mediation can allow one to prevent conflict before it even starts.
Being able to focus on emotions, a mediator can sense emotions and figure out how to diffuse
both parties before the conflict becomes heated. On social and digital media platforms a mediator
would be essential in reducing or preventing conflicts because oftentimes there are many debates
in comment sections that go overboard and are often in need of a mediator. The strategy of
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gaining the skills of mediating will help situations of conflict when it comes to helping both
parties control their emotions and remain logical.
Conclusion
In order to be effective at dealing with conflict on digital and social media takes a lot of
work. There are many different strategies that one can use in order to prevent conflict and
transform conflict all together. Lederach discussed essential strategies to support conflict
transformation such as learning how to maximize communication and minimize
misunderstanding and learning how to be a mediator. If one succeeds in these skills, it will be
easier not only to be able to prevent conflict in real life relationships, but also on digital and
social media platforms.
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Works Cited
English Standard Version Bible. (2016). ESV Online.
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/1PE.5.ESV
Gamil, Y., & Abd Rahman, I. (2022). Impact of poor communication on dispute
occurrence in the construction industry: a preliminary exploratory study of Yemen
construction industry. International Journal of Construction Management, 1–7.
https://doi.org/10.1080/15623599.2022.2092388
Kalter, M., Bollen, K., Euwema, M., & Verbeke, A. L. (2021). A Matter of Feelings:
Mediators’ Perceptions of Emotion in Hierarchical Workplace Conflicts. Frontiers in
Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.629768
Lederach, J. (2003). Little book of conflict transformation: clear articulation of the
guiding principles by a pioneer in the field. Adfo Books.
University of Notre Dame. (2011). From Conflict Resolution to Strategic Peacebuilding
[Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwsThUncRxE
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