Complex problems, negotiated solutions Tools to reduce conflict in community development Michael Warner

This book is designed for people who have to deal with, and find solutions to, conflicts in rural areas of developing countries. New technology, economic globalization, finite natural resources, political realities and cultural erosion can together represent change of such magnitude and shock that it overwhelms the capacity of society to adapt, leading to dysfunctional institutions, disputes and interpersonal conflict.

Complex Problems, Negotiated Solutions offers strategies, principles and tools to reduce development-induced disputes and so promote sustainable rural livelihoods. Consensual win–win negotiation is put forward as the preferred strategy, but set firmly within the context of the alternatives. The importance of conflict management processes that are appropriate to the local customary and legal approaches is stressed.

• Systematizes the complexity of conflict situations in rural environments.
• Provides a guide to designing practicable conflict mitigation and prevention strategies.
• Describes key principles and tools of consensual negotiation.
• Illustrated with examples from across the developing world.
• Includes 20 group and individual exercises for training purposes.

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Conflict management
3. What is consensus building?
4. Principles of consensus building
5. Process of consensus building
6. Office-based conflict analysis
7. Provisional conflict-management plan
8. Participatory conflict analysis
9. The conflict analysis framework
10. Capacity building
11. Consensual negotiation
12. Facilitation
13. Workshop design and methods
14. Managing difficult people
15. Consensual negotiation tools

Appendices

References and further reading

Published by ITDG Publishing, 2001. 

Obtainable from: ITDG Publishing (http://www.developmentbookshop.com/book.phtml?isbn=1853395323), Amazon.com (www.amazon.com), Blackwells (http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/) or Barnes & Noble (http://shop.barnesandnoble.com). 

Role of Paul Mundy: Editing and rewriting, desktop publishing.