AC4 5% solution seminar Columbia University October 15, 2010.
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Transcript of AC4 5% solution seminar Columbia University October 15, 2010.
AC4 5% solution seminar
Columbia UniversityOctober 15, 2010
I. Complicate Things – Escaping Attractors II. Simplify Things – Focusing on Hubs & Patterns
III. Build Up - Growing Hidden Possibilities IV. Tear Down – Dismantling Destructive Traps
V. Leverage Change – Working the Levers VI. Decide More – Adapting to Change
I. Complicate Things – Escaping Attractors
play ballauthor life
yours and others’
II. Simplify Things – Focusing on Hubs & Patterns
listen to everyonetalk to everyoneseek, knock, ask
III. Build Up - Growing Hidden Possibilities
can ‘this’ be done?can ‘we’ do this?
can we ‘learn’ from doing it?
IV. Tear Down – Dismantling Destructive Traps
there is no way outthis is the way it isthis who you are
V. Leverage Change – Working the Levers
keep changing what is changingdo what is working better
keep learning and sharing the learning
VI. Decide More – Adapting to Change
we can decidedecisions are possible
was ‘that’ decision ‘good’?
We ‘make sense’ by experiencing, understanding, judging, and
deciding.
Peace emerged in Mozambique successfully because all these
operations were unburdened of the constraints that the enmity-system, the experience of violence and the lack of alternatives had imposed on
the actors.
Peace emerged in Mozambique successfully because there was a new alignment of power, meaning and relationships that profoundly restructured a conflictual polity.
Positioning acts-
relationally situating at least two people (self and other) into a local
moral order
Position-
a cluster of rights and duties that limits the repertoire of possible
social acts available to a person (or a person-like entity)
as so positioned
Mutual positioning-
when what one person says simultaneously positions self and
other or ingroup and outgroup
Local moral order-
the dynamic, collaboratively negotiated cluster of rights and duties associated with particular
positions in a storyline
Malignant positioning-
when what is said about a person leads others to think about and treat
that person in harmful ways
Forced positioning-
positioning someone in the eyes of others against the will of the person
so positioned
Duty-
a demand placed by others on the person who owns it
Action-
intentional activity
Mozambique is now at peace, independent and united.
How did ‘peace’ happen?
Mozambique
Imagine a country…
… that was never independent, united and at peace …
… where out of 12 million people, 1 million were dead because of the
war …
… where out of 12 million people, 4 to 5 million became refugees or
internally displaced people (IDPs)…
… where the constitution did not allow multiparty political
representation…
… where your neighbors (Rhodesia and South Africa) actively
destabilized and continuously threatened security…
… then you have a glimpse of Mozambique in July 1990...
… when in 1990 the first direct talks between the FRELIMO government
and the RENAMO movement occurred.
ActorsFRELIMO governmentRENAMO movement
June 1975 Mozambique achieves independence from Portugal
In 1976 RENAMO emerges as a military force
In 1986 Chissano becomes President of Mozambique
In 1988 first meeting with RENAMO’s leader,
Alfonso Dlakama
1990-1992 negotiations take place in Rome until the agreement is
signed on October 4th, 1992
Mozambicans fought around three fundamental axes:
powermeaning
relationships
… and created an enmity-system through recurrent patterns of
behavior (loops).
Independence loop.
Mozambique wants to assert its independence so
it distinguishes itself from its neighborsso
Rhodesia feels threatenedso
It intervenes in Mozambique’s internal affairsso
Mozambique is less independent
Until Rhodesia keeps its racist government so
Mozambique supports the liberation movement in Rhodesia
soRhodesia feels justified in encouraging the civil war in
Mozambique
Independence loop (II)
Mozambique wants to assert its independence so
it distinguishes itself from its neighborsso
South Africa feels threatenedso
It intervenes in Mozambique’s internal affairsso
Mozambique is less independent
Until Mozambique proposes a security agreement to apartheid South Africa
soMozambique promises not to support the liberation
movement in South Africa in exchange of isolation of Renamo
soSouth Africa feels empowered to interfere secretly
without publicly acknowledging the intrusion.
Unity loop
Mozambique wants to achieve unity as a nation state so
It creates a strong central government modeled on the soviet experience
soLocal ethnic nationalities are disempowered and
respond negativelyso
Mozambican government becomes even more invested in reducing the power of local chiefs
so Local groups support an open rebellion
Mozambique is less united so
It responds militarily to the rebellionso
Local ethnic nationalities resist even more violently, making it impossible for the central government of
Mozambique to control the country
Peace loop
Mozambique emerges out of a violent liberation struggleso
It tries to achieve peace through violenceso
violence reigns
PowerHumanRelations Meaning
IndependenceLoop
UnityLoop
PeaceLoop
Independence demands
assertiveness that is
perceived as threat
New relations are
determined by independence
and forced onto someone
Only some are
legitimate heirs of the
struggle that gives
meaning
To make a country is to challenge the
heritage of many people
‘We’ are a nation before
being a people
‘Your’ unity is ‘our’ death
Peace is achieved
through victory; victory comes
through violence
‘We’ will talk when they
surrender; so to talk is to surrender
It is because we believe that
we fight
Suspension, ambiguity and discontinuity in the loops.
Structural
Subjective
Power Relations Meaning
DiscontinuitiesDiscontinuities
power is military control
loyalty
enmity
threats
constrained
focusing on survival
or not?
or not?
Recurrent loops made Mozambicans ‘certain’ of their enemies’ power, meaning and
relationships.
Perceived certainty
Mozambicans remained in the conflict because moving from the
certainty and coherence associated with it was perceived to be counter
to one’s own survival as understood in the moment.
What do we really do when we do what we do?
How do we measure the ‘difference’ we make?
Are we understanding more?Are we communicating better?
The paradox of ‘good intent’
Constraints on adaptability
Personal integration
Integrating networks
Peace as movement
The danger of reconciliation
Conflict, change, resolution and order
Cares and order
Who is ordering?(who is ‘making sense’?)
Who is recognized as ordering?(who is recognized as
‘making sense’?)
Power, meaning and relationships are uneven
Disrespect – insult
Authorship and interpretation
Adversary or enemy?
Influence question
Personal experiences and political relevance
Conflict resolution activities in relevant political contexts
Conflict resolution as relational dynamism
Conflict resolution cannot be but political
The problem and promise of manipulation
Conflict resolution activities in violent and volatile environments
requires a certain degree of manipulation
It is essential to control that effort by its consequences and actual results
AttentiveIntelligent
ReasonableResponsible
Responsible ReasonableIntelligentAttentive