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International Online Training Program On Intractable
Conflict
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Conflict Research Consortium, University
of Colorado, USA |
Tactical Escalation
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Often parties will escalate a conflict intentionally, in an effort to build support for
their cause. Although heightening awareness of a problem is often necessary at early
stages of a conflict, there are ways to do that which are less likely to lead to an
uncontrolled escalation spiral. If controls or limits are not placed on potential
escalation-provoking behaviors, and care taken to build bridges to the other side at the
same time, escalation often gets out of control quickly and any benefits which might have
been obtained through escalation will be lost.
Links to examples of Tactical Escalation:
- Saadia Touval -- Case Study: Lessons of
Preventative Diplomacy in Yugoslavia
- In this analysis, Touval examines the reasons why preventive diplomacy failed to prevent
the Yugoslavian war. One reason, he found was that economic hardships which resulted from
political and economic reforms were exploited by faction leaders and used to fuel
nationalistic fervor.
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- Dean Pruitt and Jeffery Rubin -- Escalation in
the Cuban Missile Crisis
- Pruitt and Rubin observe that both sides intentionally escalated the conflict in the
Cuban Missile Crisis in order to produce a stalemate, which was then ripe for negotiation.
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- Homer
Page - Constructive Demonstration Strategies
- Page has been involved in advocacy activities for over 30 years. In this paper he
discusses the importance of clearly defining the goals of one's activities, how
tactical escalation of a conflict can work to one's advantage, and how demonstrations
relate to negotiation efforts.
- Paul Wehr--Power Mixes in the US Civil Rights
Conflict
- This essay shows how nonviolent force was used at times to escalate the US civil rights
conflict, though it was moderated with exchange and integrative power strategies as well.
Links to Possible Treatments of this Problem:
Links to Related Problems:
Copyright ©1998 Conflict Research Consortium -- Contact: crc@colorado.edu