Proceedings of the 22nd International Academic Conference, Lisbon

CRISIS TO OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE

MICHAEL FISCHLER

Abstract:

As diverse groups (from tenured professors to their unbenefited colleagues; Palestinian intifadists to Zionist real estate developers; native Europeans to crisis driven refugees; entrenched leaders in their “Arab Winters” to fellow countrymen in their discordant “Arab Springs”) struggle to gain possession of lost, stolen, or disputed pieces of soil or self, our world finds itself enmeshed in ever deepening levels of conflict. Diverse groups collide in a battle to attain the prizes of territory, identity, security, and respect. As battle lines are drawn, friction becomes evident and conflict becomes endemic.These are the conflicts that know no boundaries. They release their tremors into Everyman’s village and their traumas into Everyman’s soul. Like swollen streams, they flow down trash-laden streets and onto tree-lined boulevards. They move from sectors of third world tragedy through centers of new world trade; through the halls of fortified high schools and over the walls of sanctified universities; into pristine rural communities and through sectarian tribal villages; through distressed urban war zones and into sheltered enclaves of wealth.These are the conflicts that ignore the rules of scholarly discourse. They are filled with all the invective and passion that diverse groups, struggling for their social, intellectual, and/or physical lives tend to manifest. To some they are threatening. To others they are encouraging. To all they are stimulating.They capture attention; they capture imagination; and they capture resources… Triggers for these conflicts seem to exist most everywhere... a political slight; a perceived inequity; a change in the balance of power; a long-standing hurt; today’s exploitation; yesterday’s grudge. Along with a diversity of triggers comes a diversity of targets...Corporations with unimaginable wealth... Nations with unimaginable power... Well-established political bodies… Newly-established political movements… Universities… A religiously sectarian community… None are beyond scrutiny. None are beyond threat. The author/presenter explores how conflict can provide individuals, institutions and political states with precious opportunities to recognize and institute procedures that can lead toward creating personal, social and political change. A model designed to effectively process conflict and facilitate essential change, the seven stage "Crisis to Opportunity to Change" is presented.

Keywords: Culture, Conflict, Change, Crisis, Growth

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2016.022.017

PDF: Download