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Conflictineering
obviously combines the word "conflict" with part of the word
"engineering" to defuse and expand the traditional meaning and
connotations of "conflict." "Engineering" involves
putting scientific knowledge to practical use, so we include "-ineering"
to infuse "conflictineering" with the sense of action informed
by knowledge.
For over a
decade we have tried to explain what we have only recently termed
"conflictineering." The difficulty in explaining
conflictineering has been due, in part, to our lack of understanding of
this complex concept. Hopefully, our explanation has progressed; we feel
our understanding has.
People are
uncomfortable with any disturbance of their perception of order. They do
not like conflict directed toward them, and generally seek to avoid it.
The natural human reaction to conflict is a flash of defensiveness
followed by an attempt to smooth out the conflict. In the dispute
resolution process, we need to use conflictineering to receive an
advantage from other people's desire to smooth out conflict and restore
harmony. Harmony can be exchanged for a fair disposition of a case.
Prosecutors,
judges and law enforcement officers want to keep the focus of cases on
the facts of the crime and the "vicious criminal" who
committed it. As long as this remains the focus, they are on sure
political ground and will receive nothing but political benefit and
smooth sailing in pursuing the maximum punishment allowed by law.
We need to
use conflictineering to create social and political consequences to our
adversaries. Part of conflictineering is raising issues of injustice in
the system, e.g., issues of racism, issues of political or ethical
misconduct, issues of burdensome financial costs and other inequities.
The conflict created can be used as negotiating leverage to obtain a
fair disposition of the charges.
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