Bridging Divided Perspectives - Conflict, Conflict Resolution and Mediation from a Multi-Disciplinary Perspective Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Overview

The Bridging Divided Perspectives - Conflict, Conflict Resolution and Mediation from a Multi-Disciplinary Perspective course at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam focuses on the circumstances under which people are willing to move from conflict to conflict resolution.

What aspects offer space to make this movement possible, both in terms of political or cultural contexts, personal motivations, meaning making, neuro-psychological processes, economic gains and legal options? What circumstances and convictions motivate a person or a group of people to engage in this process, what dynamics play a role along the way, which intrapersonal, interpersonal and external aspects have an influence on the process and how can this process best be facilitated?  

The main goal of this course is to provide a multi-disciplinary perspective on conflict and conflict resolution while empowering students with skills and insights to effectively deal with conflicts. The course focuses on understanding the circumstances that lead people to move from conflict to conflict resolution, considering various aspects such as political and cultural contexts, personal motivations, meaning-making, neuro-psychological processes and legal options. 

By combining practical mediation skills training with insights from different disciplines, including law, behavioural sciences, social sciences, economics, religion, and theology, students will gain a deeper understanding of the drivers that either favour or hinder conflict resolution. The course aims to equip students with broadly applicable knowledge on conflict and the ability to facilitate conflict resolution on different levels.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, the participants will:  

• Recognise and describe important theories of, and scientific research on, conflict, conflict resolution and mediation from a multiple-disciplinary perspective.  
• Generate and discuss new and critical questions about conflict, conflict resolution and mediation.
• Use/apply mediators’ behaviour (attitude and skills); and to provide feedback to (mediators) behaviour of peers.
• Apply insights of conflict, conflict resolution and successfully practice mediation behaviour (attitude and skills) to address conflict and conflict behaviour in conflict simulations (role play).
• Apply successfully oral and written presentation skills to communicate effectively on scientific topics on conflict, conflict resolution and mediation from a multiple-disciplinary Perspective.