Abstract
Conflict is a defining feature of human relations. It would be naïve, if not irresponsible, to think that antagonistic interactions among individuals, groups, and nations can ever be eliminated or marginalized, no matter how much we learn about the root causes of such interactions. A realistic goal is to understand the fundamental dynamics that promote and sustain destructive conflict generally, and the special blend of dynamical properties that transform a small proportion of conflicts into a protracted state of hostile relations that destroys the fabric of interpersonal, intergroup, and international life. The book thus far has identified key dynamical principles underlying the progression toward intractable conflict, with an emphasis on conflicts observed throughout history and that are all too prevalent today. This understanding, in turn, provides the basis for divining means of disrupting the feedback loops that sustain protracted conflicts, so that such conflicts can be transformed into benign or even positive social relations.
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Vallacher, R.R. et al. (2013). Epilogue: Conflict in the Twenty First Century. In: Attracted to Conflict: Dynamic Foundations of Destructive Social Relations. Peace Psychology Book Series. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35280-5_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35280-5_8
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