Articles

Conflict Management Styles of Faculty and Staff of a State University in Northern Philippines

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The study explores the Conflict Management Styles (CMS) of faculty and staff and relationship of the CMS with their demographic profiles with an aim to develop a possible training program in Conflict Management. The participants were 26 faculty and 14 staff. Data were gathered using survey, interview and FGD. The instrument used is the Thomas-Killman CMS Inventory.  The instrument  yielded a CVI of 0.91 and a Cronbach Alpha of 0 .95  which show that the validity and reliability of the instrument is very high     The  data were analyzed by means of   the descriptive statistics, the Z-test for independent sample means  to determine the ratio of proportion of difference between the conflict management styles as perceived by the respondents; and  the Chi square   to determine any relationship between conflict management  styles and demographic profiles of respondents.  Results of the study reveal that the faculty and staff use different CMS. The dominant conflict management style for the faculty is avoiding and for the staff is compromising. It also shows that the faculty with administrative positions and some staff   use combinations of the CMS   like compromising-collaborating. The demographic profiles of the faculty and staff do not influence their conflict management styles. The study concludes that existing practices and strategies of faculty and staff in handling conflict needs enhancement on appropriate and effective conflict management styles.  Thus, a possible training program on Conflict Management Styles was developed and proposed for implementation.

Reclaiming the Land: Conflict and Resistance in Contemporary Peasant Social Movement

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This study aims to analyze the dynamics of contemporary peasant social movements, especially related to conflict and resistance in reclaiming the land. The end of the New Order era in the late 1990s in Indonesia provided space for peasants to reclaim the land for their cultivated land. Reclaiming is an effort to act of resistance, carried out by oppressed people to regain their rights such as land, water, and other natural resources, as well as other means of production fairly, to create universal prosperity for the people. This study uses a qualitative method, which was carried out by exploring and understanding the meaning of research problems by collecting data that reflects the views of participants regarding the research problem being studied. Data collection techniques were carried out through literature study, observation, and in-depth interviews with peasant and social movement members and leaders in the three research villages in West Java. The results show that reclaiming is successful when there is a political opportunity and mobilization of political network resources during conflicts and peasant resistance. In addition, the importance of the political network of urban activists and university students is used in resisting the policy regime made by the power holders.

Extractives Industries and Conflict: Reduction of Risks Associated with Extractive Industries in Turkana County, Kenya

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African countries endowed with natural resources, especially oil have seen violent conflicts due to poor management of the natural resources. Violent conflicts largely where local communities have been systematically excluded from decision-making processes and when the economic benefits are concentrated in the hands of a few thereby causing economic disequilibrium in the society. Misuse of the natural resources has frequently been cited as the main factor that activates, increase or support violent conflicts around the world. When the key stakeholders disagree on the management, distribution and protection of natural resources and related bionetworks. Natural resource conflicts arise when parties disagree about the management, distribution and protection of natural resources and related ecosystems. These conflicts can heighten into brutal relations and violence when the parties are incapable or reluctant to engage in a positive process of dialogue and conflict resolution. While there are many issues associated with extractive industries, the role of natural resources in triggering, escalating or sustaining violent conflict is the focus of this survey and consequently offer relevant in reducing these conflicts so that the natural resources found in Turkana County can truly be a blessing and a catalyst for poverty reduction in Turkana County. Conflict turns out to be difficult once societal mechanisms and institutions for handling and determining conflict break down, giving way to violence. Societies with weak institutions, fragile political systems and divisive social relations can be drawn into cycles of conflict and violence. Preventing this negative spiral and ensuring the peaceful resolution of disputes is a core interest of the international community. The general objective of the survey was to offer strategies in reducing conflicts associated with extractive industries. The methodology used in this survey was both qualitative and quantitative. The research design employed was descriptive survey design. The sample size was 270 heads of households and 20 stakeholders working in Turkana South and East Sub-Counties respectively. The data was collected using questionnaires and interview guides combined with observation schedules. The findings of the survey reveal that indeed extractive industries and conflicts are twins and hence there is need to address conflicts to turn natural resources into a blessing for the society.