Dynamics of Intractable Conflict
Modeling the Fundamental Dynamics of Intractable Conflict
For the past several years, Dr. Peter T. Coleman has been leading an international and interdisciplinary team of scholar-practitioners, with funding from the James S. McDonnell Foundation, to develop a theory of enduring conflicts from the perspective of complex systems. The project applies the principles and methods of dynamical systems theory to what is arguably the most complex and dynamic of all social phenomena: intractable social conflict. Such conflicts are rare, but when they do occur they undermine the security and well being of societies worldwide. The project is currently being conducted by an interdisciplinary research team including Dynamical Social Psychology Lab; Dr. Larry Liebovitch and Dr. Andrea Bartoli
This more recent area of our research builds on classic studies of conflict motivation but breaks out of the traditional, linear social science paradigm and employs dynamical-experimental and computer simulation methods to investigate the temporal and nonlinear dynamics of some of the more fundamental motives identified as drivers and mitigators of conflict. This work currently investigates the dynamics of four motives central to conflict. These include 1) Regulatory focus, ripeness and optimality dynamics; 2) Cooperation, competition and mixed-motive dynamics in conflict; 3) Injustice, justice & rate-of-change dynamics and 4) Rules of reciprocity in negotiations.
Questions regarding this project can be directed to Christianna Gozzi at cgozzi@ei.columbia.edu.
AC4 is looking for a student with strong working skills with the Matlab programming
language, including the ability to read and write different types of data files. If you know of a student or have experience with this programming language, please email Christianna Gozzi at cgozzi@ei.columbia.edu with your CV/Resume and a brief description of your experience working with Matlab. This is a short term paid opportunity.