Introducing Noviolence as a concept

I was in Barcelona, Spain for a break. But peacework and networking would not take a break with me.

With my scant Spanish, El Consell de la Joventut de Barcelona (CJB) introduced me to this concept of noviolence during its video presentation of its recent activity involving the youth. It presents, in my understanding, a concept that does not consist of two words, but one. Essentially, it refers to absence of violence in the pursuit of meaningful lives and social change.

What is the significance of this concept to the peace and conflict studies?

I would argue that this concept of noviolence is useful in framing the problematique of a prolonged and protracted conflict. In communities that have been in conflicts for several generations such as in Mindanao (Philippines), Darfur (Sudan), Kurds (Turkey), etc., peace is so abstract and non-sensible. It does not help motivate many people there to seek peace because they have never experienced peace. What makes sense to the victims and survivors of prolonged conflicts is the absence of violence or noviolence in their lives. That´s what they long for. That is their desired change.

Noviolence is not only useful in theoretical and conceptual references, but also for practical purposes. As the precedent, the nonviolence, on one hand, is a popular concept, tool and movement for people who reject violence as a means for social change. Noviolence, on the other hand, is an alternative to peace when the concept of peace does not make sense to the victims and survivors of prolonged conflicts.

If we, as peacebuilders, would like to see grassroot and community-driven peacebuilding efforts in areas with long history of conflicts, the concept of noviolence will be useful to frame our understanding of our mission towards peace and conflict transformation.

Conflict Analysis Model and Concepts

As a conflict analysis and assessment model, Dr. Amr Abdalla's C.R. SIPABIO highlights the importance of certain factors in understanding and formulating suitable interventions on conflict. These factors which include context, relationship, sources, issues, parties, attitudes/feelings, behaviors, intervention, and outcomes operate generally in conflict situations.

The contextual factors could be class, geography, history, ethnicity, media, gender, religion, and culture. The relationship factor is the level of conflict; for example, inter-personal, inter-group, and international. The sources of conflict could be relationship, value, structural, interest, and data conflicts. The issues pertain to the incompatibilities of goals. The parties are the participants of a conflict. The attitudes are the feelings, emotions, and perceptions of the participants. The behavior is the action of the parties to further their goals. The intervention is also an action of the parties or even a third party to find and reach resolution to the conflict. The outcome is the effect of the behavior or intervention.

Click here for an example of application of CR SIPABIO as a conflict analysis and assessment model.

The significance of these factors in conflict resolution is of utmost consideration. How noble and good the intentions and efforts might be of the parties attempting to resolve the conflict, they would not hold ground and water without taking into account these factors mentioned above. It clearly shows how crucial conflict analysis and assessment is to the desired conflict resolution.

There are some models presented in the other reading like the Galtung’s model which defines negative peace (absence of direct violence) and positive peace (addressing structural and cultural violence), and the hourglass model which uses Galtung’s ideas and the escalation and de-escalation phases of conflict . The different yet parallel stages of conflict (management, resolution and transformations) and peace (peacekeeping, peacemaking and peacebuilding) are mentioned in these two models.

These models as in other models of various disciplines are useful and helpful in the approach and making sense of a phenomenon. In this case, it is conflict. However, the models should not be treated as “be-all, end-all” tools. There is no blueprint for conflict resolution. This is shown in the vicious cycle of conflicts that seems to have ended through a peace agreement, but then with a trigger of provocation and unfortunate circumstances, the conflict goes on and on.

Needless to say, each conflict is as unique as fingerprints of a person. Caution, research and reflection are necessary as there are other necessary things to work towards conflict resolution. It takes more than models, skills, timing, resources, charisma, positive attitudes towards peace, but these are significant elements for conflict resolution.