Category: Conflict

Using Communication to De-escalate Conflict Situations

The combination of pain, stress, uncertainty, and a lack of control can be a cause for conflict among children with learning disabilities and challenging behaviours. At lavender house, sometimes a combinational booking does lead to other children being upset with their colleague’s behaviour during the night. This is because other children are unable to settle to sleep while others are still awake. This can cause additional stress and conflict can become escalating and potentially lead to conflict situation that can be challenging.

In such situations, promoting therapeutic conversations can help to calm the situation. One of the most important things I do in such situation is communication, liaise between children in a calm manner or change subject. Preventing escalating behaviour before they start keeps everyone safe.

Naturally, we cannot control other people’s behaviour, but we can control our response to it. Some of the techniques encouraged at lavender house to defuse and de-escalate conflict interactions include communicating with empathy when a young person is becoming anxious or upset while investigating what might be the cause of the behaviour, e.g. are they in pain? Or other precipitating factors contributing to their outburst? Using active listening skills to show the young person respect. Reflect to the young person’s concerns/behaviour displayed, repeat what they are saying, and really put yourself in their position.

Standing back in leu of promoting non-verbal communication because communication is 7% verbal and 93% nonverbal. Uncrossing arms and using an open body stance, positioning self in a respectful and non-confrontational pose. Approaching young person from the side and try not to back anyone into a corner have all proved to be essential in de-escalating conflict among our young people. Maintaining a safe talking distance, for example most people are more comfortable with about three feet of buffer. Also being mindful about verbal communication especially tone, inflection, and volume. When a young person starts to escalate a situation, using slow, calm, and low volume voice for communication is important because matching their aggression does not help defuse a situation.

Sometimes we set limits as part of care plan when a young person becomes upset or defensive, sometimes it is because they are seeking information. Providing information about their care or answer their questions within the context of their limits, For example, a statement such as, “When you keep your voice down, I will be able to tell you why we are waiting” can help set expectations of behaviour. Dropping own defensiveness. For example, when the young person starts to get anxious or upset, he or she tends to act irrationally and become very defensive. When someone lacks a sense of control, he or she may start yelling or start actively refusing the plan of care. When you in turn become defensive, this only matches their energy and leads to even greater irrationality.

Know when to remove yourself from a situation, especially in situation when you may need a co-worker or teammate to “tap in” and help you with a situation. The protocol says that If you are ever truly feeling threatened, to do not handle the situation alone. Keeping yourself and your colleges and other young people safe always is the main priority

De-escalating an anxious or tense situations helps prevent violence or conflict and keeps everyone—staff and young person/people safe. I always update my PRICE training skills every year. this is to keep up to date with new and existing manual handling techniques as well as up-dating the care plan and needs of our young people.

How does the Conflict Trap Work and how Can it Be Overcome?

In civil war literature, it is commonly understood that a low-income country has a higher chance of civil conflict occurring than a high-income country. However, this relationship can be seen to go both ways, as in the same way that low-income countries have an increased likelihood of conflict, instances of conflict can lead to a countries economy to worsen, and as such, a cycle can emerge where a country can never leave conflict. This cycle is known as the conflict trap. Whilst some might call the trap inevitable and hard to escape, I would argue that through external intervention & good governance, it is possible to overcome the trap.

Before attempting to find ways to overcome the conflict trap, we must first look at how the conflict trap works in detail. According to Paul Collier, the three economic characteristics that can make a country more susceptible to civil war are “low income, slow growth, and dependence upon primary commodity exports” [ ]. If an independent country were to start off with these characteristics, Collier suggests that there is a possibility that the state grows enough to escapes the conflict trap, before they ever get trapped in it. This escape would only be possibly if there was enough growth to raise the economy of the state, which as a result could also lead to a reduction on the reliance of the state on primary commodities. However, this scenario would only occur if a country was lucky, and in most instances, a country would not be this lucky. If growth doesn’t improve & remains slow (or gets even slower), civil conflict & civil war can be seen to be on the horizon, and a state can be engulfed into the conflict trap, and once in the trap, it is a hard challenge to escape. This challenge arises from the fact that civil conflict leads to low incomes, which in turn leads to a damage to the economy & retarded economic development to emerge, and thus aiding the conflict trap.

Moreover, conflict can damage the ability of children to gain access to education, as when conflict arises, education is not seen as a priority, leading to many children to put off education in periods of conflict. This lack of education in times of conflict can lead to more children picking up conflict capital, which are the skills that you learn through conflict (e.g. combat skills), meaning that if conflict were to start again, due to a lack of real education, these children would have the necessary skills to fight in this conflict, so the cycle of conflict continues. Similar to this, the cycle of the conflict trap is worsened by the fact that conflict can change the entire culture of a nation, leaving behind various industries created as a result of conflict, such as arms dealing, which can lead to a much easier access to weaponry & guns, making conflict & rebellion much easier to occur. To conclude, for any newly independent country, the conflict trap is hard to avoid (unless you get particularly lucky) and once you enter the trap, it is very difficult to escape due to the effects that conflict can have upon a country, including damage to the economy & a change in the culture of a nation.

Some would argue that the conflict trap is inevitable & cannot be escaped but I would argue that there are a few approaches that can be undertaken to overcome the conflict trap. One way in which countries can overcome the trap is through external intervention. This approach relies on preventing war from occurring in a country in the first place, and as a result, this can prevent a country from falling into the cycle created by the conflict trap & prevent further war. One aspect of external intervention to prevent war from breaking out is seen through attempts by international organisations in controlling natural resources. A clear example of this is outlined in a World Bank Policy Research Report titled ‘Breaking the Conflict Trap: Civil War & Development policy’ which explains that the Kimberley process (a UN-initiated certification scheme to verify diamonds as conflict-free) has led to more transparency in the diamond market. This process has restricted the ability of rebel groups to gain income from natural resources, and as a result, rebel groups have less money to finance conflict and so “if rebel finances can be curbed and citizens come to believe that resources are being well used, civil war will be less likely” [ ]. Therefore, this highlights how the Kimberley process and external intervention in general can help a country to avoid conflict & civil war and thus overcome the conflict trap. Another way in which the conf

Analysis on Conflict Perspective in Titanic

Abstract

The theory of conflict is one of the most common and discussed theories. We are always trying to draw line between the unequal distribution of power, wealth and resources. With several presentations and examples, the strong disparities and class structure are felt, but modernism supports the idea that we were able to make changes slowly and blur the lines of conventional economy system. The film reference about “Titanic” (1997) is taken into account in this paper and further used to support the viewpoint and its working in the society. The film is an excellent example of the perspective of conflict, every scene is thoughtful, and reflects the discrimination and exploitation that the working class society faces. Furthermore, we will discuss the class conflict in this paper, present an analysis of depth and its prevalence in modern days.

Titanic is a historical unchanged movie, hooked up with subtle emotions that keeps us captivated to the story even once nearly twenty years of the initial unleash date. People typically view this movie to be as romantic tragedy , however, the element behind the film is just more than some romantic tragedy. Indeed, evidently it is an extraordinary film that portrays young love, adulthood, grief and bases the story line on the exclusive prevalence of the capitalist society. From the initial scene, until the completion scene the parallel of the two unique classes has been highlighted. The film exhibits the contention point of view, with a component of adoration, joy and sorrow. The movie is a copy of the class framework and gives us the opportunity to consider class contrast, the misuse looked by the common laborers and the upsetting chain of command of the decision class.

Each scene in the film, the beginning scene where the average workers individuals remain in line to get in the boat, where as an immediate course was made for the individuals remaining in the upper deck. This mirrors the various leveled framework. Correspondingly, in the completion scene where the individuals in high society have the benefit to spare their lives, while the individuals remaining in lower deck have less possibilities, which is a exact portrayal of how the common laborers individuals are regularly misused and exploited in the societies (BOUDREAULT, (Dec 2012)).

Some piece of human framework hold more wealth, cash, influence. Conflict emerges in the general public when there exist a gathering of individuals who do not have such extravagance. The individuals who have important assets need to hold them and those without it need to have it. The contention of the common laborers and administering class starts and proceeds until an accord is shaped (Adelman, 2000).

In fact, Marxism (conflict theory) bases its ideas on it. Marx, underlined that societies expose the origins of conflict and stress. The uneven dispersal of power and resources causes the tensions persistently. Nevertheless, the ruling party is trying to preserve its influence but the working class is resenting it. Though the ruling class seems to have high status and power, they have life based on wealth, independence and preference.

As indicated by, when you speak to, a high society body, then the odds of getting spared ascends by critical rate (Magrass, 2002). Indeed, even in decisive circumstances, contrasts happen, nationality, economic wellbeing and character matters. “Women and children first” was created during the disaster, and unlabeled social norm. Our status and social standards plays significant incentive at emergencies, and even in an extraordinary shortage (Sargent, Picard, & Jull, 2011).

The film was a Hollywood buzz, is as yet a significant discussion subject when talking about economy and class contrasts. The little components of the motion picture, not just spoke to the class struggle and gave us an understanding on the class contrasts. It left with social message, making individuals all around mindful about such contrasts and understanding how we all suffer anyway at the end of the day, so it turned out pointless to scream out differences. All human should be dealt with similarly, no one merits any kind of misuse in the general public.

The condition and the battle of regular workers does not come as an astonishment. The disparity has been talked about for a significant long time (Osborne, 1999). Although there is a common working class, “under terms of insecurity, poverty is now a right rather than a misery.”

The worldwide migration of industrial capital, growth and the neo liberal point of view has rolled out noteworthy improvements in the activity of the common laborers.

More or less, the contention point of view has been debate for a serious long time. Innovation, underpins in correspondence, rights and every individual’s entitlement to opportunity and security. In this manner, the idea is getting less applicable today, be that as it may, there is no center ground or an outskirts where we can draw line on and pronounce the condition of balance or imbalance.

Reference

1. Adelman, H. (2000). The Synergy of Culture and Realpolitik in Ethnic Conflict: From Culture to Ethnicity to Conflict: An Anthropological Perspective on International Ethnic Conflict. The International Migration Review: IMR; Thousand Oaks, 34(4).
2. BOUDREAULT, F. ((Dec 2012)). Identifying Conflicts of Norms: The ICJ Approach in the Case of the Jurisdictional Immunities of the State (Germany v. Italy:. Leiden Journal of International Law; Cambridge.
3. Magrass, T. R. (2002, Feb). The evolution of human sociality: A Darwinian conflict perspective. Middletown, 39(6).
4. Osborne, G. B. (1999, December). From culture to ethnicity to conflict: An anthropological perspective on international ethnic conflict. Middletown, 37(4).
5. Sargent, N., Picard, C., & Jull, M. (2011, July). Rethinking Conflict: Perspectives from the Insight Approach. Negotiation Journal, 27(3).

Conflict Theory and Resolution

Conflict is a very usual aspect in any society. In fact, it’s a main branch in the philosophies of sociology. Relations between human beings are bound to eventually involve conflict, either subtly or strongly. The construction industry is not spared of this vital challenge in human engagement. Conflict theories are perspectives in sociology and social psychology that emphasize a materialist interpretation of history, dialectical method of analysis, a critical stance toward existing social arrangements, and political program of revolution or, at least, reform. Conflict theories draw attention to power differentials, such as class conflict, and generally contrast historically dominant ideologies. It is therefore a macro-level analysis of society.

The word conflict has been derived from a Latin word ‘Conflicts’ which means ‘strike two things at the same time’. According to Colman, ‘A conflict is the anticipated frustration entailed in the choice of either alternative’. Conflicts occur in the individual when more than one, equally powerful desires or motives present at the same time and pressurize for immediate satisfaction.

Conflict between a main/sub contractor and a client, or the client’s architect is different from a tenant intending to sue an engineer in tort for a destructive structural failure. The dynamics of conflict will differ with different types and scopes of project, procurement systems, legal structures and personnel. The tendency of contracts to cause dispute emanates from the externality of interpretation. In Clegg’s words; contracts cannot “specify their own indexicality” by providing how they will be read or used. Langford, Kennedy and Sommerville30 agree that “conflict between contracting companies may be inevitable”.

The general nature of construction processes makes conflict inevitable. To great extent, it may be undrstood as ‘pragmatic’, as compared with the ‘long-term strategic’. The first says ‘conflict exists without cease’. We may avoid or reduce it if possible, but the core question is, how do we handle it?” The ‘long term strategists’ which include several of the authors in the academia, don’t find the inevitability of conflict a lustrous matter and are rather keen on sorting the attitudes and cultural practices in the field industry and its professions which birth disputes. Bearing that a degree of conflict is necessary, is this fundamentally negative? The authors concentrate on the paralysing impacts of conflict. Most of the journals on evitability of disputes are forecast upon negative consequences succeeding them. Turner Wright opines “diminishing project performance levels induced by non-interaction, frustration and non-aligned perceptions of each other’s and the project’s goals”

Conflict Between Private Security and Governance

A lack of mutual respect between law enforcement and private security has been established. Much of this is attributable to the perceived law enforcement differential status — the police attach a higher level or degree of status to the role of law enforcement than to private security (Raines, 2006). Therefore, mutual disrespect is nurtured by the existence of mutual negative stereotyping which reinforces itself and is rooted in misinformation, mistrust, distrust and prejudice. Police officers find themselves to be ‘professionals’ because they have been rigorously screened for jobs in a competitive process; have usually completed a minimum of one hundred hours of training required; have chosen law enforcement as a career; have subscribed to a detailed code of ethics; have to adhere to a strict disciplinary system; and have constantly updated and developed their skills (Avant, 2005).

Lack of Communication

The status differential assigned to respective roles of private security and law enforcement by some law enforcement personnel creates major problems ineffective communications. Expense research on the relationship between status and communication suggests that communication is normally aimed at those persons who are considered to have equal status or higher status; and when confusion is expressed regarding equality of status, communication appears to be avoided (Sarre & Prenzler, 2000). Because many law enforcement personnel believe that they have a higher level of respect than personal security and that the role of private security in crime prevention is not adequately understood, there will be a propensity to discourage contact with private security staff (Abrahamsen & Williams, 2010). But the intensity of feelings expressed by private security and the ambiguity of their relationship with law enforcement discussed in other conflict areas in this document. Private security, as a perceived higher status category, could be expected to communicate freely with police forces, indicating confusion as to the extent of law enforcement (Ross, 1993). Private security thus seeks to avoid contact with law enforcement staff; collaboration cannot be enforced without effective communication.

Lack of Cooperation

The data available indicate a lack of structured processes to promote cooperation, but demonstrates a desire on the part of both law enforcement and private security to increase their level of cooperation and to develop more organized methods of cooperation (Broadhurst, 2006). Law enforcement challenges the motivations and honesty of private security staff as they comply with the desires and practices of corporate and corporation for the private implementation of criminal acts. When police assistance is requested, they do so often reluctantly, with a minimum level of cooperation, and with the underlying feeling that their investigation will not result in any prosecution (Fijnaut & Huberts, 2002). Private security also cites another area of lack of cooperation as an insufficient response to burglar and hold-up alarms by law enforcement. Nonetheless, law enforcement complains about the drain on police patrol units responding to frequent false alarms and reports several fatal incidents where patrol officers and warning operators have experienced serious traffic and other injuries in responding to false alarms in emergencies. Private security shares law enforcement’s concern with false alarms, but believes law enforcement is cultivating a sense of complacency that results in low priority being put on alarm responses. Private security has a propensity on the part of law enforcement to view any warning as a false alarm in which no intruder is identified or there is no physical evidence of a break-in (Albert, 1978).

Lack of Law Enforcement Knowledge of Private Security

It is evident from a wide range of sources that law enforcement misinterprets the role of private security; has difficulty accepting restrictions on the protection and reduction of private-sector assets; has restricted exposure to a wide range of private-security products, services and organizations; and develops negative private-security stereotypes that are reinforced by limited security (Gambetta, 1996). Private security executives attribute many of these issues to the fact that law enforcement staff receive most of their training in statutory laws, law enforcement, criminal and procedural law, criminal investigation, patrol techniques, field interrogation, traffic law, accident investigation, and community relations: law enforcement staff have crime prevention cited as part of their role of defence. Less than 10 per cent of law enforcement agencies included any private security information in their training programs in the Private Security Task Force survey. Lack of private security material in training curricula and the emphasis on crime prevention gives law enforcement a limited perspective on crime control tactics and technique As noted earlier, crime prevention seminars and institutes provide training for law enforcement personnel in crime prevention planning and techniques but the dissemination of this knowledge throughout the law enforcement agency depends on the agency’s commitment to crime prevention (Reaves, 2009).

Perceived Competition

Similarly, private security sees law enforcement as competing with them in providing security to private interests and concerns (Stenning, 2000). This competition is more prevalent in the private safety practice of moonlighting law enforcement personnel. Law enforcement staff take work outside as security guards, shop detectives, armed couriers, and private detectives. Law enforcement personnel have in some cases created their private security firms. Private security strongly objects to law enforcement by its uniforms or equipment to accept individual owners or merchants ‘ private security jobs and considers private security enforcement moonlighting unfair competition (De Waard, 1999).

Lack of Standards

One of the recurring issues in the discussion of the previous conflict between law enforcement and private security is that in their approach to the protection activities law enforcement considers itself as a ‘professional’ organization and views many aspects of private security as non-professional (Elms & Philips, 2009). Law enforcement believes that the level of private security workers will not be significantly improved unless there are minimum standards of professionalism that are accepted and enforced nationally. In its ASIS membership survey, the Task Force for Private Security discovered the need for a’ set of privacy standards’ for 87% of these Private Security managers (Nalla, 2001).

Perceived Corruption

All law enforcement and private security consider wrongdoing on the other hand and this in many cases restrict collaboration to personal relationships. Two kinds of corruption have been reported affecting both authorities and private security, but their pervasiveness could not be assessed. Payoffs, bribes, kickbacks, and security and extortion schemes are the most prevalent form of corruption (Sarre & Prenzler, 2000). They are an inducement to enable crime, encourage collusion, overlook testimony or evidence, and refuse to retain the property, overlook violations of criminal law, obtain private security licenses and influence private-security regulatory activities.

References

1. Raines, J. (2006). Ethics, integrity and police misconduct: Analyzing ethical awareness, standards and action of law enforcement officers in the United States. Integrity and Police Misconduct: Analyzing Ethical Awareness, Standards and Action of Law Enforcement Officers in the United States.
2. Avant, D. (2005). Private security companies. New Political Economy, 10(1), 121-131.
3. Cunningham, W. C., & Taylor, T. H. (1985). Crime and Protection in America a Study of Private Security and Law Enforcement Resources and Relationships: Executive Summary (Vol. 86, No. 12). US Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice.
4. Sarre, R., & Prenzler, T. (2000). The relationship between police and private security: Models and future directions. International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice, 24(1), 91-113.
5. Ross, M. H. (1993). The management of conflict: Interpretations and interests in comparative perspective. Yale University Press.
6. Abrahamsen, R., & Williams, M. C. (2010). Security beyond the state: Private security in international politics. Cambridge University Press.
7. Broadhurst, R. (2006). Developments in the global law enforcement of cyber‐crime. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management.
8. Fijnaut, C., & Huberts, L. W. (Eds.). (2002). Corruption, integrity, and law enforcement (p. 3). Dordrecht: Kluwer law international.
9. Albert, K. (1978). The police and their image: a comparative study of the American and Cape Town policeman (Doctoral dissertation, University of Cape Town).
10. Gambetta, D. (1996). The Sicilian Mafia: the business of private protection. Harvard University Press.
11. Reaves, B. A. (2009). State and Local Law Enforcement Training Academies (2006). Diane Publishing.
12. Stenning, P. C. (2000). Powers and accountability of private police. European journal on criminal policy and research, 8(3), 325-352.
13. De Waard, J. (1999). The private security industry in international perspective. European journal on criminal policy and research, 7(2), 143-174.
14. Elms, H., & Phillips, R. A. (2009). Private security companies and institutional legitimacy: Corporate and stakeholder responsibility. Business Ethics Quarterly, 19(3), 403-432.
15. Nalla, M. K. (2001). Designing an introductory survey course in private security. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 12(1), 35-52.
16. Sarre, R., & Prenzler, T. (2000). The relationship between police and private security: Models and future directions. International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice, 24(1), 91-113.

The Characteristics of Class Conflict in the Society

In this paper, I will begin by focusing on the development of humanity as class conflict and then move onto the impact of capitalism and the relevance that class conflict bears in South Africa today. Class conflict is the “antagonism between entire classes over the distribution of wealth and power in society” (JJ & Plummer, 2012). It is a concept that has come about due to the sociocultural change in humanity, resulting in the social stratification of society (JJ & Plummer, 2012). As Marx explains it, “there are competing interests in society” (P & Zaaiman, 2015) which powers change (P & Zaaiman, 2015). Through assessing human history as class conflict, it is evident how class conflict is still majorly relevant in South Africa today, due to aspects of capitalism and exploitation that form a major part of South African history.

Firstly, class conflict began with hunting and gathering societies (JJ & Plummer, 2012). The people of this time were living under terrible conditions that allowed for their human rights to be violated time and time again, while also accessing limited resources due to this minimalistic form of social organisation (JJ & Plummer, 2012). Although, at the beginning of this time, the majority of humanity was living this way (JJ & Plummer, 2012). However, currently, there is only a hand full of communities in the world who still practice this form of social organisation, such as in central Africa (JJ & Plummer, 2012). Therefore this leads to class conflict among different communities in Africa and around the world, as not everyone has the same standard of life or resources (JJ & Plummer, 2012), due to this outdated social structure that is still practiced.

The next form of society evolved to Horticulturalists and Pastoralists (JJ & Plummer, 2012). Horticulture is a technology that is based on using different hand tools to cultivate vegetation (JJ & Plummer, 2012). Whereas, pastoralism is the technology used to domesticate animals (JJ & Plummer, 2012). Not all communities were quick to abandon their previous roots of hunting and gathering as their system had sustained them for thousands of years (JJ & Plummer, 2012). The people who chose to be Horticulturalists and Pastoralists ended up forming permanent settlements, trade relations and a material surplus (JJ & Plummer, 2012). Therefore they became culturally and financially superior as a result of their advanced forms of production (JJ & Plummer, 2012). This would, therefore, produce more income, while advancing their community’s skill set (JJ & Plummer, 2012). Therefore, class conflict was created between these two groups at this time due to the inferior social system of the hunters and gatherers which resulted in fewer resources and wealth (JJ & Plummer, 2012).

Next came, agrarian societies that focused on large scale farming in both vegetation and animals (JJ & Plummer, 2012). This advanced technology allowed them to farm the same land for decades, which therefore lead to permanent settlements, increased productivity and therefore increased wealth (JJ & Plummer, 2012). However, agrarian societies show massive social inequality as slaves contribute a massive amount of labour, for small wages, for the small groups of land-owning (JJ & Plummer, 2012). This brought more wealth to the elite which further fuelled social and class conflict (JJ & Plummer, 2012) as the development of different classes of wealth was becoming more prominent. This is highly relevant in South Africa as there is class conflict due to the issue of land redistribution for agricultural income that stems from the 1913 Land Act (Hlubi, 2020).

The legacy of socio-economic inequality of South Africa which resulted in class conflict still to this day, is heavily due to the land act in 1913 (Hlubi, 2020). Due to this act, the people of colour in South Arica experienced a great loss of land and therefore wealth and resources (Hlubi, 2020). It was handed over to the white colonists (Hlubi, 2020). This created a class of private property owners who used their power and wealth to continue oppressing the people of colour in South Africa (Hlubi, 2020). This creates class conflict currently today In South Africa as the land has not yet been evenly redistributed (Aljazeera.com, 2020). Therefore the majority of wealth and land is still in the hands of the white minority whose families have passed down this land and wealth for generations (Aljazeera.com, 2020). Therefore, there is class conflict today In South Africa as the resources and wealth are still not evenly distributed amongst South Africa’s population. This is evident by the fact that “It is estimated that white South Africans – who make up approximately nine percent of the country’s population – own more than 70 percent of the commercial agricultural land.” (Aljazeera.com, 2020).

Following the agrarian society came the industrial society. This is centred around technology that powers machinery with exceptional sources of energy (JJ & Plummer, 2012). The industry’s riches were very much concentrated in the hands of the wealthy few who owned factories and businesses in different sectors of the industry (JJ & Plummer, 2012). Whereas the rest of the population was transformed into industrial workers called the proletariat (JJ & Plummer, 2012). The proletariat laboured long and hard hours for low wages while living in terrible conditions (JJ & Plummer, 2012). Marx often asked himself, “in a society so rich, how could so many be so poor?” (JJ & Plummer, 2012). The industrial society, therefore, created class conflict as there was only a small group of very wealthy business owners, while the rest of society was earning minimal wage for intense labour or formed part of the bourgeoise (JJ & Plummer, 2012).

Emerging in recent decades is the post-industrial societies that allow for a widespread and diverse combination of perspectives (JJ & Plummer, 2012). This allowed for humanity to become more globally connected in their different societies. However, even though this new form of society has developed and is still developing, the previous forms of social organisation all coexist together (JJ & Plummer, 2012). This means that there is still evident class conflict around the world and in South Africa as there are different forms of social organisation which results in different levels of wealth all around the world and specifically, within South Africa (Anon, 2020).

The development of Capitalism, in the eyes of Marx, is heavily related to the industrial society (JJ & Plummer, 2012). It is therefore heavily linked to class conflict, and specifically in South Africa, due to the major inequality in wealth and resources experienced by South Africans (Anon, 2020). The capitalist economic system only transformed a small minority of the population into the thriving capitalists (JJ & Plummer, 2012). Whereas the rest of the population was transformed into industrial workers called the proletariat (JJ & Plummer, 2012). Next developed the bourgeoisie, the middle class of society (P & Zaaiman, 2015). With capitalism came the dominant and oppressed classes which created major class conflict (JJ & Plummer, 2012) as capitalism encouraged and fuelled the idea of different classes of wealth. This resulted in the alienation of the poor as they continued to become more powerless (JJ & Plummer, 2012). This is highly relevant in South Africa as the misfortune of capitalism, which is mass poverty for the majority and wealth for the few minorities, causes major class conflict and frustration amongst the people of South Africa. This class conflict is a result of apartheid who prioritized the white minority but is also as a result of the Capitalist system in South Africa today which doesn’t correct the wrongdoings of the past (Anon, 2020). With the capitalist system comes mass exploitation, which is evident and relevant in South Africa today when assessing class conflict (Anon, 2020). This is due to the current poverty of people of colour because of the exploitive apartheid system that still affects South Africa’s society today both economically and socially (Anon, 2020). As Marx said, ‘the expropriation of the great mass of the people from the soil, from the means of subsistence and the means of labour,’ (P & Zaaiman, 2015) is an example of one of the main reasons that there is still such a great issue of class conflict in South Africa (P & Zaaiman, 2015). This is class conflict in South Africa is therefore due to the masses of people that have been exploited for their labour and resources, such as land, for decades by the colonial and apartheid systems and is now worsened by the capitalist system (Anon, 2020).

Therefore, it is evident that class conflict has formed a huge part of human history and humanity’s development. Also that this class conflict is still incredibly prominent around the world and is especially relevant in South Africa, due to the economic and social inequality that stems from colonialism, apartheid, and capitalism.

Individual Differences And The Effects On Workplace Conflict

As Managers, we can state that situations of conflict are inevitable and necessary when working as teams within an organization. Conflict occurs when people impertinently take a stand based on deviating perceptions or ideas from one another within a group. When working in a clinical setting this can be extremely challenging for managers as we must better assist and understand the conflict between physicians, employees and even patients. This can occur when there are disagreements in goals, actualities or expectations between team members and patients. In helping better assist our teams we must learn how to handle and interpret different conflicts that may arise in our organization.

Individual Differences and Organizational Constraints

Individual differences help us distinguish and define each person’s individually. A person’s psyche centers on how an individual may feel, think and is motivated. This also relates to how a person reacts within their social and physical environments. Setting the stage for our team, we can see how unique personalities, values, and emotions affect to what degree we behave and perform together collectively. Personal variables can be potential reasons why conflict may occur. Certain personality traits and cultural backgrounds define how we encounter conflict differently. Environmentally every human endures life experiences possibly from family dynamics, education, and even economic status. Diversity is very important in healthcare as we see many patients from all over the world. This can be challenging for both employees and the patients as they work together to better understand and assist patient needs. Numerous clienteles come from India and Asia, coming to America these patients must endure new life experiences. In India, healthcare is not as structured and formal as it is here. In the clinical setting, we use a “blue phone” which the patient and provider use to communicate, connected with a translator of their dialect. This is an organizational constraint as it is challenging and time-consuming needing patience between multiple people on one phone line to get information across properly and efficiently. For some, this can be overwhelming trying to assist patients who barely speak English and aren’t familiar with our customs in healthcare. Negotiation, especially with patients, is a daily endeavor when trying to reach an agreement on how we should treat an individual and how they can implement lifestyle changes improving their health (Clay-Williams et al.,2018).

For employees, this can be overwhelming blending cultures and backgrounds together, and for patients, this can cause aggression trying to better understand. Through the process of negotiations between employees, we can see how this is also a great tool for clinical providers in patient care. By encouraging patients to express their concerns, invite questions to get a better understanding, encourage active participation in making decisions involving their personal choice in their health, and accommodate patients with additional information by acknowledging their concerns. During physician-patient interaction, this helps us to create a collective agreement with one another on how patients feel about their treatment plan together making a distinctive decision.

Individual Differences Influencing Conflict

Conflict is naturally apparent in any organization but becomes predominant in healthcare where continuous human interaction happens. The medial field proliferates with significant amounts of high stressors, this could be from many instances such as treatment of complex cases, resources to perform duties and even the emotional work of nursing (Hendel, T., Fish, M., & Berger, O. 2007). Nurses who work in higher stress environments such as the ER are seen to have increases in excessive burnout (Hendel, T., Fish, M., & Berger, O. 2007). For nurses, this can be prevalent as they not only hold the title of being caretakers but also managers and educators as well. From these roles’ nurses must work closely with physicians and administration members of the healthcare team, these interactions considerably increase the likelihood that conflict will arise. From learning not all conflict is bad but can be generated in clashing views on common goals, values, feelings and attitudes (Robbins, S. & Judge, T. 2019). In patient care, it is exceedingly important that communication is not misinterpreted as it can be destructive to a team and in rare cases cause detrimental effects to patient care. Many instances of dysfunctional conflict can come horizontally having to deal with direct and precise commands from a doctor, if information is miscommunicated there tends to be hostility in the air in forms of extreme verbal retaliation, aggression, and hostility. It is known that any group made to feel inadequate and powerless will always act on their frustrations towards one another (Ramsay, M. A. 2001). This comes from the high stress of having to make sure everything goes precise due to patient satisfaction, safety, and livelihood. One example from my experience was a staff nurse being a new hire, just moved to a new city and was trying to fit in at work. As a new employee, this was very hard, in which they had encountered negative feedback regarding their work strengths as a new nurse. Later, we as administrators had to sit down with this nurse because there had been some faulty issues regarding care for a patient appropriately. When we had asked this person, what had happened they stated how the negative effects and interpersonal experiences that she had been experiencing at work had impeded their ability to perform their job during their shift. In these circumstances, this can lead to high turnover, low morale, and unproductivity. Many times, as managers we encounter employees who are fearful to speak up and are more reluctant to recognize and resolve conflict causing avoidance. As managers, we must learn how to better assist our employees by distinguishing disagreement and how different language and actions are perceived differently. Through encouraging open discussions, we can converse differences and opinions addressing conflicts directly (Abraham, N. and Alberts, J. 2013). This helps employees develop a shared perception of a conflict, creating a mutual solution.

Conclusion

In summary, to more effectively manage in the workplace, we need to better understand the dynamics of how conflict is created and how to respond to conflict. Conflict can help a team as much as it can be destructive. Learning how to properly invest in a healthy work environment aids in ending negative and destructive behaviors creating healthy interpersonal relationships, strong teams, and increasing patient safety. Through negotiations and active listening with our clientele, we can collaboratively evaluate and devise a treatment plan for our patients assisting us in becoming a high performing team in the medical field.

References

1. Abraham, N. and Alberts, J. (2013). Simplifying Shared Decision-making: Physician-Patient Interactions as Negotiations. American Gastroenterological Association. https://www.cghjournal.org/article/S1542-3565(13)01258-5/pdf
2. Clay-Williams, R., Johnson, A., Lane, P., Li, Z., Camilleri, L., Winata, T., & Klug, M. (2018). Collaboration in a competitive healthcare system: negotiation 101 for clinicians. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5925852/
3. Hendel, T., Fish, M., & Berger, O. (2007). Nurse/Physician Conflict Management Mode Choices. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 31(3), 244–253. doi:10.1097/01.naq.0000278938.57115.75
4. Ramsay, M. A. (2001). Conflict in the health care workplace. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1291328/
5. Robbins, S. & Judge, T. (2019). Organizational behavior. New York, NY: Pearson.

Youth in Conflict with the Law

The programs available within my community that I was able to locate are as follows, Jubilee Centre – Safe Bed Crisis Support, Justice Support Services through the Canadian Mental Health Association and then through the local North Eastern Ontario Family and Children’s Services, there’s Youth Justice Committees, Attendance Centers, Community Support Teams, Residential Programs, a Restorative Justice program and bullying mediation programs offered by the Timmins Police. All these programs are geared towards the successful rehabilitation of youth to encourage the deterrence of substance use and to assist youth through any mental health issues. Throughout this assignment I’m going to run through each program listed above and go through further details to cover exactly what they do and how they operate in Timmins.

Jubilee Centre is a facility located in Timmins where it focuses its attention to people of the age of 16 or older who are experiencing, or at a perceived risk of developing an unstable addiction, concurrent disorder or mental health symptoms who may have also come in conflict with law enforcement1. They present these people with beds to sleep in and work alongside other allied agencies programs. The goal of this program (Safe Bed Crisis Support) is to attempt in reducing the number of individuals with addiction, mental health or concurrent disorders from entering into the Criminal Justice System. They provide these people with temporary housing, time to arrange funding, high intensity care, counselling support as well as provide a safe and secure environment to allow for stabilization and management of addiction and/or mental health symptoms. The Jubilee Centre seems to be a really good location for those stuck in a negative environment, sometimes just changing your surroundings can make some of the biggest changes in your life, ideally for the best but unfortunately its doors are strictly open to youth at the age of 16 and older.

The next program is the Justice Support Services offered by the Canadian Mental Health Association; this focuses support to individuals who are involved with the criminal justice system to assist them with the appropriate services within the community as means to deter re-occurrence of crimes2. This is especially good for those who are having current legal issues and require support.

This next organization offers multiple services to suit someone’s youth which is North Eastern Ontario Family and Children’s Services3. The first service I’ll introduce is the Youth Justice Committee which asks for an apology from the client and from there they can find a resolution for the incident caused, time to work on his/her behaviors and gain benefits from volunteering in their community. The next service involves attendance centers which represent alternatives to a custody order, it focuses individual needs such as anger issues, employment/life skills and so on. The third service is the Community Support Team, they’re focus is on counseling services to high-risk youth who find themselves in conflict with law enforcement. They focus the prevention of young offenders return to custody. The fourth service offered by NEAOFACS is the residential program, this program is all about youth assessments, skill development and recreational programs. It’s mainly geared towards youth between the ages of 12 and 17. The 5th program which is geared towards giving the individual a little more freedom on how their judicial journey plays out including their accountability and reparation is the restorative justice program. This puts a large focus on that persons want or will to make things better for those who have been caused harm. The final service I was able to locate within NEAOFACS is the Youth Mental Health Court Worker program. The goal of this program is to assist youth who have been identified to be living with a mental disorder through the court process. It provides these people with access to the appropriate mental health services and other community supports available.

The final program I was able to locate is the anti-bullying course offered by Timmins Police Service4, this is geared towards involving themselves with the schools and making presentations about the importance of standing up to bullying and talking to the appropriate people to put attention to it. I feel as this program needs to be done more often and in a steadier basis to really make a significant impact. I can only recall one class in middle school where presentations we’re made about bullying but don’t remember anything else. I’ll talk about this more in my idea of a good crime deterrence program.

In conclusion, all these programs have their ups, and downs based on the individual’s needs but the one fault I found that all of them seemed to be missing was youth on youth interactions. Being able to see and hear of local issues related to youth crime committed I know that it’s much easier to go through any of the programs I listed alongside someone of my age. I know I’d be intimated to be surrounded by people who aren’t really at the same level nor understanding as I may feel. Having someone of my age or closer to really connect with could really change someone’s perspective on to properly behave, how to involve myself in my community, how to talk to people, how to help people, how to succeed in my studies and so on so forth. It’s a lot like the expression’s parents use often for children who hangout with the “bad kids” and how they need to change their groups of friends to avoid any further issues that came from that expression. My program would essentially force further youth interactions among other community youth members, to grow that child in need group of friends, to have someone maybe even going through something similar who has found success in his deterrence away from crime; a role model some may say. I think this connection is crucial to the youth’s future and speedy recovery towards rehabilitation.

Karl Marx and a Conflict Theory

A conflict theorist would typically state that people with wealth and power represent a society. Excluding the lower class; law and law enforcement are used by dominant groups to minimize threats to society and have control over lower class being biased and protecting the wealthy. In this case a Latino male of the lower class steals $1,000 from a convenience store and is served to 3 years in jail. While a white male who owns a business steals $100,000 from his place of business and serves 9 months to federal prison but needs to pay back what he stole. In these two cases that are at a similar crime rate have yet so much inequality causing conflict between the two.

As Karl Marx explains social life is a competition between wealthy and lower class. Since the Latino male came from a lower class and doesn’t have the proper resources as society would describe his punishment is way stricter. Both crimes were against the law. Conflict theorist say law and law enforcement are used by dominant groups to minimize threats to society and control the lower class. The white male committed the same crime breaking the law but should’ve received a stricter punishment because he stole more and got served to less time due to his class rate. This would be described as a conflict theorist not wanting a bad rep on those of the higher class and protecting a society in one.

Our judicial systems job is to interpret the law. Workers in this field do not treat people equally because over time the wrong people get arrested for the wrong things or in other cases people do not receive the punishment they deserve. Conflicts explain how the people are treated differently due to inequality which ends up becoming a significant source of conflict. The bond theory identifies the state and the law as instruments of power used by the ruling class for their own benefit

Knowing certain people live in places where crimes are committed continuously you would count on this system to make the right decisions. When two people commit the same crime, the same punishment should be served no matter what class you are in. Conflicts explain this doesn’t usually happen because of how powerful the ruling class is in a society. People of wealth take over those of the lower class in every aspect. Other reasonings are when people do something sometimes due to who people know and how much money they have ones who are guilty receive little to no punishment and the innocent who have nothing are severely punished due to the less resource’s they are appointed too. Laws are something that are set rules and shouldn’t be changed due to someone’s opinion. A judge can quickly decide what one person will do for the rest of their life and no one else has say which is made unfair. In a sense, if there were rules set and never changed society would know what is right and what is not.

How Conflict Creates Character

Michael Jordan once stated, “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”Often in literature, both fiction and non-fiction, characters are faced with obstacles and conflict. This conflict helps them find the parts of themselves that they didn’t know they had. The process of dealing with conflict forces characters to adapt and become more resilient in life.

An example of a challenge that a character faced was in the novel, The Call of the Wild. The protagonist, Buck, a mixed breed dog, originally from California, is kidnapped to pay off a gambling debt. His character has to quickly adjust to a new environment from his fancy life in a mansion to a harsh life in a camp that constantly moves areas; this is where Buck has to learn to take care of himself. “So that was the way they did it, eh? Buck confidently selected a spot, and with much fuss and waste effort proceeded to dig a hole for himself” ( London,18). This shows how Buck had to learn and copy from the other dogs like how to sleep and keep warm without him freezing to death. Later, in the novel Buck expresses that he does not want Spitz to be the leader, instead he wants to become the leader of the sled dogs. “Shoulder at last squarely met shoulder. The dark circle became a dot on the moon-flooded snow as Spitz disappeared from view. Buck stood and looked on, the successful champion, the dominant primordial beast who had made his kill”( London. 40). This quote explains how the fight between Buck and Spitz had ended. Buck had won the fight against Spitz which demonstrates how conflict played a huge role in this story.

Also, in the novel The Call of the Wild, the dog Spitz early on in the novel showed that he did not like Buck and may have felt even threatened by Buck. Spitz ‘ felt his supremacy threatened by this strange Southland dog. And strange Buck was to him, for of the many Southland dogs he had known, not one had shown up worthily in camp and on trail. They were all too soft, dying under the toil, the frost, and starvation. Buck was the exception”( London,32). This evidence explains how Spitz had felt his superiority threatened by a strange dog from the south (Buck). This new dog in the pack was especially strange because many of the other southern dogs he had encountered over time had never shown up to the camp worthy enough and on the trail. He also explains that they were too soft and could not handle the rough trails, were dying under all the hard work they had to do, could not handle the harsh temperatures, and the little amount of food they had received was rationed; but Buck had been an exception to all of that.

Later, in the novel Buck was trying to hunt a bunny and Spitz had seen him and decided to go on a ledge without Buck noticing. He waited for the perfect moment to jump and take the bunny. The moment did eventually come, he took the bunny from Buck and killed the bunny. Buck became angry with Spitz, charged at him and this had created a fight between them due to the fact that Spitz hated Buck and wanted to get back at him. “But Spitz, cold and calculating even in his supreme moods, left the pack and cut across a narrow neck of land where the creek made a long bend around. Buck did not know of this… larger frost wraith leap from the overhanging bank into the immediate path of the rabbit. It was Spitz (London, 38 )”. This quote proves that Buck had killed Spitz during a fight they had and if Spitz had not caught the bunny he would probably be alive. Yet again, the challenges that the character, Spitz faces leads to his demise due to his jealousy.

In addition, the novel The Darkest Minds, similarly to Buck the protagonist Ruby had to adjust to a new lifestyle due to something that was out of her control. In Ruby’s home town in Salem, Virginia, this area got hit with a nation wide disease that only affected children, later known as IAAN ( Idiopathic Adolescent Acute Neurodegeneration). Over half of the kids were killed due to the disease and the kids who survived were not the same as they had once been prior to the outbreak. Ruby was taken and brought to a camp that was supposed to help get rid of their powers if they worked hard. Ruby also had to learn how things worked and follow the rules that were nothing like what she was used to in that camp so she would not get punished. “The only time we were allowed to talk was in our cabin before lights out. Everywhere else, it was all work obedience, silence”( Bracken, 27 ). This demonstrates that this rule was strict, firm, and created for obedience. Prior to the camp, they had freedom and they could speak whenever they wanted. This was a form of control over the kids in the camp.

When Ruby first arrived she had to see a doctor who would take a scan of their brain. The scan would show a color and that color would tell them what power they had and what to do with them. The colors were formatted in a pyramid green on the bottom, the most common and considered the least dangerous and orange at the top, the least common, and considered the most dangerous. The Greens (G) power was enhanced intelligence, and at the top of the pyramid was the Oranges (O) and they had the power to control minds but they had to be terminated. Ruby was an orange but tricked the doctor into saying she was a Green and she survived for six years under that category However, here was always one army man who had his suspicions about Ruby and so she was always in danger of being caught. Then, the military decided to do a test and they played a sound they called the Calm Control and that would scan all their brains at once and their reaction to it will tell them what category they were in. “Your bad reaction means that they know you aren’t a G, Unless you do exactly as I say they will kill you tomorrow” ( Bracken, 46 ). This shows that she is constantly under threat of being harmed or destroyed and how she often gets lucky except for this time. This quote is said in a note by a “doctor” who is trying to attempt to help Ruby escape (smuggle her out). This particular “doctor” is part of a league who can help all of the children in the camps to find their freedom, again. they have to go into what looks like a war with the government and the president who is ordering these camps. Ultimately, it is Ruby’s perseverance, her wit, her helpful manipulation and her physical strength that allows her to outrun a government that is trying to control her and others.

A real life example of a woman who has overcome a very difficult obstacle, one that was truly out of her control, is pro-surfer, Bethany Hamilton. Like Ruby, Bethany did not let challenges or conflict get in the way of her desires and dreams. In the article, written in the New York Times, the author shares the story of how Bethany Hamilton lost her left arm after a vicious shark attack while surfing with her friends and father. “She lost 60 percent of her blood in the attack and lost her left arm almost to the shoulder. But she was back surfing within a month.” This quote shows that even though that conflict caused her to lose her arm she did not give up doing what she loved.

The definition of the word “Resiliency is: the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.” Resiliency is the important trait that all of these characters have in common. From fiction, non-fiction books and novels, with characters such as Buck and Ruby and real life examples from articles like Bethany Hamilton, being able to overcome their conflict is what creates their inner strength.. . Without conflict, there would be no resiliency and their stories may have turned out completely different and who they became.