conflict is just part of the game.
Week twelve at SMSC was concluded with a guest lecture by Dr. Al Fuertes, a professor in the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University.
Conflict is inevitable in the field of conservation. When many different stakeholders are involved in a conservation goal, there is going to be conflict amongst them. Dr. Fuertes began his lecture by giving us his history in the world of conflict resolution and his specific focus in community-based trauma healing. During his explanation of community-based trauma healing I began to make connections and parallels to many conservation issues such as my case study project, conservation of giraffes. Many communities where giraffes are present have gone through many traumatic events such as war, poverty, and civil unrest. These communities could benefit from a conservationist that not only knows the science but can also listen and work with communities that have suffered traumatic events.
Dr. Fuertes then asked us about our own experiences with conflict. We discussed amongst the class our experiences with our stories of conflict and we were introduced to the SPITCEROW chart which stands for Sources, Parties, Issues, Tactics, Changes, Enlargement, Roles, Outcome, Winner. Through this framework, we can identify stakeholders as well as their values, beliefs, actions, and more. Near the end of the lecture, we were asked to fill out a short survey about our reactions to conflict. The survey confirmed how I currently feel about handle conflict.
After class I thought back on conflicts we talked about throughout the semester, and began to apply the SPITCEROW model to them. By doing this I was able to identify some gaps in my beliefs about certain topics and stakeholders I had not considered before. Throughout the rest of my life, whenever I get into a conflict or when I feel like something doesn’t add up in an argument, I will return to my lecuture notes from this class and fill out the SPITCEROW chart before I make any final decisions.
A faint sight of the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) from Race Track Hill.