Conflict Dynamics:

Galtung’s Conflict Triangle

 Johan Galtung
• We understand that Violence is
any physical, emotional, verbal,
institutional, structural or
spiritual behaviour, attitude,
policy or condition that
diminishes, dominates or
destroys others and ourselves.

• Violence is one of the possible

responses to specific conflict
situations. This does not imply
that violence is unavoidable.

• Violence is not inevitable and it

must not be confused with
conflict.
 Galtung explored causes of violent
conflict
• In societies with conflict, - possible to identify
both specific causes and more general
conditions that make violent conflict more
likely

• Different sides unlikely to agree on causes

• ‘Behaviours, attitudes and contradictions act

together to encourage violent conflict’
- Galtung
 Behaviour
Violence, genocide, Galtung’s
insurgency attacks,
discriminatory acts Conflict
Manifest Level:
How people act
Triangle
encourages conflict,
immediate evidence
of conflict

Latent Level;
How people think
encourages conflict;
deeper causes of
conflict

Attitudes/Assumpti
ons: Contradictions
Racism, Inequality, dispute
discriminatory over territory or
attitudes, sexism, resources,
Conditions making violent conflict more likely Conditions making violent conflict less likely
Conditions making violent
conflict more likely:
• Little or no democratic means of
dispute resolution; minorities
excluded from political
representation
• Wealth, territory or resources
shared unequally and controlled
by powerful elites
• Poverty
• Government is above the law,
making arbitrary and illegitimate
decisions
• Judicial system is absent or
interfered with, not independent or
fair
• Human rights are abused
Conditions making violent
conflict less likely:
• Democratic institutions exist, with
full political equality and
participation
• Equal sharing of resources and
wealth
• Equality of opportunity for all
• Government respects the rule of
law
• Disputes can be resolved fairly
through a fair and independent
judicial system
• Respect for human rights
(especially of minorities)
 Behaviour
Violence, genocide, Applying
insurgency attacks,
discriminatory acts Galtung’s
Manifest Level: Conflict
How people act
encourages conflict, Triangle: Syria
immediate evidence
of conflict Conflict

Latent Level;
How people think
encourages conflict;
deeper causes of
conflict

Attitudes/Assumpti
ons: Contradictions
Racism, Inequality, dispute
discriminatory over territory or
attitudes, sexism, resources,
Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)
 Behaviour
Violence, genocide,
insurgency attacks,
Applying
discriminatory acts Galtung’s
Manifest Level:
How people act
Conflict
encourages conflict,
immediate evidence Triangle:
of conflict
Syria Conflict
Attitudes/Assumpti
Latentons:
Level;
Assad government
How people think
believes
encourages it should stay
conflict;
deeper in power;
causes of that rebel
conflictforces are ‘terrorists’
challenging legitimate
authority of the state.
Sunni rebels feel
Assad government is
not legitimate,
demanding greater
representation and
political equality; Contradictions
Sunnis marginalized Inequality, dispute
by Assad-led Shia over territory or
government resources,
Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)
 Behaviour
Violence, genocide, Applying
insurgency attacks,
discriminatory acts Galtung’s
Manifest Level: Conflict
How people act
encourages conflict, Triangle: Syria
immediate evidence
of conflict Conflict

Attitudes/Assumpti Contradictions
Latentons:
Level; Sunni majority is in in
Assad government
How people think conflict with
believes
encourages it should stay
conflict; President’s Alawite
deeper in power;
causes of that rebel sect, which has drawn
conflictforces are ‘terrorists’ in Sunni and Shia
challenging legitimate regional powers.
authority of the state. Sunnis feel
Sunni rebels feel marginalised by
Assad government is Assad Shia led
not legitimate, government; Islamic
demanding greater State believes it is
representation and right to create Sunni
political equality; Muslim caliphate
Sunnis marginalized across Syria and Iraq
by Assad-led Shia – does not accept
government current international
Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)
borders
 Behaviour
Assad government: military campaign against insurgency,
chemical weapon attacks (Aug 2013) Applying
Sunni rebel forces: violent insurgency against Assad
governemnt Galtung’s
Islamic state: military campaign to establish Sunni Islamic
caliphate,Level:
Manifest fought against Shia Muslims and Assad Conflict
government; execution of western journalists
How people act
encourages conflict, Triangle: Syria
immediate evidence
of conflict Conflict

Attitudes/Assumpti Contradictions
Latentons:
Level; Sunni majority is in in
Assad government
How people think conflict with
believes
encourages it should stay
conflict; President’s Alawite
deeper in power;
causes of that rebel sect, which has drawn
conflictforces are ‘terrorists’ in Sunni and Shia
challenging legitimate regional powers.
authority of the state. Sunnis feel
Sunni rebels feel marginalised by
Assad government is Assad Shia led
not legitimate, government; Islamic
demanding greater State believes it is
representation and right to create Sunni
political equality; Muslim caliphate
Sunnis marginalized across Syria and Iraq
by Assad-led Shia – does not accept
government current international
Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)
borders
 Applying
Behaviour Galtung’s
Manifest Level: Conflict
How people act
encourages conflict, Triangle:
immediate evidence
of conflict

Latent Level;
How people think
encourages conflict;
deeper causes of
conflict

Attitudes/Assumpti
ons: Contradictions

Taken from Murphy and Gleek (2016)