Human Needs Theory and Strategy: A Non-Violent Approach to Conflict Resolution

1. GV-506: Non-violence as a strategy Alternative view of strategy Human Needs Theory (Galtung and Burton) Typology of non-violence Social defense

2. Conception of Society • Dominant belief: Society is an integrated system of values (value theory) • Social contract theories: voluntary associations (Lock, Durkheim) • Society is conflictual (Marx, Hobbes, Bakunin) (Conflict theory) • Coercion • Dominance of state over society (class structure, state structure) • State “authorita” vs. individual autonomy • Role of elites (Pareto and Mosca; C. Wright Mills) • Role of technocracy • Role of culture and cultural predisposition to violence (Galtung) • Is social control necessary? Should it be based on violence?

3. Human nature and an alternative perception of conflict and “human condition” • Dominant conception of human nature: Evil! Aggressive! (Machiavelli, Hobbes, Morgenthau) • Is Human nature genetically predetermined? • Marx: human nature a social construct • Freud: human nature is determined by psychic and mental processes (instincts) • Reshaping the discussion: focus on human needs… • Maslow and the pyramid of human needs • Galtung: 4 classes of needs (survival, well-being, identity, freedom) • Biological predispositions vs. cultural restructuring of patterns of behavior • Universal patterns of behavior • Emotions and their relation to needs: human behavior based on needs • Individual needs and reference (identity) groups • State survival vs. individual needs

4. Strategy:“Weapons are important factor in war, but not the decisive factor; it is people, not things, that are decisive” Mao. • Policy governs objectives • Strategy: coordination of all resources to attain the political objective • Resources: military, economic • Psychological factors • Elements of a strategy: • Logistical, operational, social, and technological • Military and psychological components of strategy.

5. Boulding’s three faces of power • Threat power • Deterrence • State authority over citizens • Economic power • Integrative power • Legitimacy, persuasion, loyalty • All three faces of power are necessary: Why? • Examples: Soviet Union, Germany during WWII, British empire

6. Social defense • Disarmament and peace movements • Does disarmament makes sense? • An alternative policy: social defense • Def: non-violent communal defense to external aggression • A: No regime can survive with legitimacy and passive support • Components of social defense: • Symbolic actions: • Slogans, demonstrations, wearing insignia of the opposition • Noncooperation: • boycotts, refusal to pay taxes, sit-ins • Intervention and alternative institutions: • Sabotage, establish alternative institutions • Social defense: confrontation with cooperative solutions

7. Conflict resolution • How do we define conflict? • Weberian definition of conflict: struggle over values or goals • Alternative theories of conflict: Burton • Human motivation: needs, values, and interests • Distinction between settlement and resolution • Conflict resolution satisfaction of needs. • Galtung: • Conflicts over clearly articulated values (strategic actors) • Conflicts over interests embedded in social structure • Conflict triangle • Impact of psychological insights • Patterns of behavior and non-rational emotions • Misperceptions • Role of empathy in constructive conflict resolution • Origins of international conflict • Domestic vs. external factors • Power vs. human needs • Levels of Analysis and conflict resolution • Conflict management vs. conflict resolution