Why Should You Do Conflict Analysis?

• Understand the conflict issues
• Gain insight into the history, hence progression/ de-escalation of a conflict
• Gain insight into the conflict actors and their relationships. These details inform how to proceed with the de(engagement) of each actor
• Know the stakeholders/ factors working in the same field as you, hence, identify where collaboration is possible
• Identify stakeholders/ factors working against your mandate as a peace worker/ development worker. This knowledge will help you know how to engage/ disengage stakeholders and what kind of support or resistance to expect from each.
• Identify entry points for your work/ engagement
• Plan conflict-sensitive projects that have minimal negative impacts

Which Conflict Analysis Tools Can I Use?

The is a plethora of Conflict Analysis Tools that a peace worker, project manager, development worker, or program coordinator can choose from. S/he can use one or multiple conflict analysis tools for the analysis of the different conflict variables.

Some Conflict Analysis tools are more advanced than others and can, therefore, be used to analyze the different variables in a conflict of any magnitude.

Other Conflict Analysis Tools are variable-specific and can, therefore, only be used to process a single aspect of a conflict.

Peacebuilders, peace project managers, peace consultants, development workers should, therefore, vaguely identify the desired goals of their Conflict Analysis so that they can chose the best tool for them.

Example of a Conflict Analysis Tool

Actors Mapping Tool

If a project (which is already aware of the key conflict issues) seeks to understand the conflict actors / stakeholders and their relationships, this project can use a tool such as the Actors Mapping Tool.

The Actors Mapping Tool not only helps visualize as many actors as are involved in a conflict, but it also helps visualize:

• The role of each actor in the conflict (noted by the size of the allocated card)
• The significance of each actor (noted by the shape of the allocated card). Some actors are not directly involved in a conflict regardless of how big or small (power) they are, hence (during the analysis exercise), they get a differently shaped card.
• The relationship between the different actors, hence awareness on the side of the peace worker/ development worker, project manager or consultant on the how working with some actors/ stakeholders might impact on the other actors; reinforcing or blocking his/ her efforts.

Please read more on the Actors Mapping Tool and Process and how it works here

An in-depth analysis of a complex or seemingly-simple conflict may require the use of different tools to help process each variable in-depth, hence provide sufficient data for the understanding of such a conflict.

NOTE:

Whereas some tool could be used to analyze the multiple aspects of a conflict, it is advisable to use specific tools that focus their attention on one or two conflict aspects to enable the peace actor to do a comprehensive exploration of that aspect.

9 Conflict Analysis Tool you Might Find Helpful

Please click on each tool to learn more about it. In the event that I have not updated the information for some tools, please check back in the near future.

1. Actors Mapping
2. Conflict Tree
3. The Hand
4. Onion
5. Timeline
6. Inverted Triangle
7. Violence Triangle
8. Positions, Interests, Needs and Fears (PINF)
9. Systemic Analysis/ Charting Conflict Systems/ Reinforcing Loop

Conflict Sensitivity and Tools (click here to read more)

Here is an overview of Conflict Sensitivity and the Conflict Sensitivity Tools that can help you measure and analyze your awareness of un(intended) effects of your intervention.

As a development worker, peace and conflict consultant or project manager, this knowledge helps you plan conflict-sensitive projects/ intervention that mitigate on the negative effects of a project while pushing for the desired positive impact.

Some of the tools, which you can use to measure a project’s conflict sensitivity, you will find in this post include:

1. DNH – Do No Harm Tool
2. RPP Matrix – Reflecting on Peace Processes
3. FFA – Force Field Analysis

Last Bite

There are multiple tools for conducting Conflict Analysis as there are variables in a conflict.

There are also various reasons for conducting Conflict Analysis and as such, every peace worker, peace consultant, project manager, conflict consultant, development worker, or program coordinator should have a vague or defined goal for initiating the analysis process in the first place.

Conflict sensitivity is an all-through process that engages the mind to keep track of current, potential (intended and unintended) impacts of any intervention/ project so as to mitigate the negative effects while working hard towards the desired outcomes.

Let me hear your thoughts on Conflict Analysis?

Drop them in the comments sections below.