Review article
THE CONTINGENCY MODEL AND THE CONCEPT OF COMPLEMENTARITY IN MANAGING AND RESOLVING CONFLICTS
Gavin Beckett
; University of Bradford, Bradford
Abstract
ln managing and resolving international conflicts there are a great
many theoretical approaches. As these conflicts are complex
processes with many factors concerned, different approaches are
often used in their analyses. One of the more recent theoretical
models is Ronald Flsher's and Loraleigh Keashly's contingency
and complementarity model. They analyze the conflict and its
resolution through its structural and political features, on the one
hand, and psychological content, on the other, at the same time
also using complementary methodologies. This theoretical model
initially analyzes the nature of the conflict itself, differentiates four
phases of conflict, each of which has certain characteristics and
a time sequence of involvement and mediation of a third party in
the conflict. A critical observation of this model would primarily referto
its non-flexibility, Le. its prediction of specific types of involvement
in specific phases of the conflict, offering thus a rigid recipe
for resolving the conflict, which could not stand the test of critical
verification in practice. Secondly, the assumption that the conflicting
parties are autonomous and unique factors often has no foundation
in practice: and finally, this model would be difficult to apply
to a regional conflict, such as the conflict in Croatia.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
32821
URI
Publication date:
1.1.1995.
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