Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Laurence A. Clement / Research suggests that Native Americans, Chicanos, and African Americans are groups underrepresented in the North American memorial landscape. The fluid nature of a group and individual’s identity (and the memory that shapes it) contributes to the underrepresentation in commemoration and memorials. As communities and the associated identities continue to blend and overlap moments of positive cultural exchange can take place, but at times the outcomes are in the realm of contention and conflict. The collaborative nature of landscape architecture together with the profession’s ability to understand and interpret complex systems and narratives can fully engage and bring form to the morally imaginative, creative act of peacebuilding. The concept of shifting and variant meaning led to this study that considered the question- How might memorials be designed as reconciliatory agents in cultural landscapes with conflicting histories? This study engaged the concept of memory and identity with Oglala Lakota, on the Pine Ridge Reservation, regarding the tragedy of Wounded Knee, through adapted ethnographic approaches in interviewing, site visits, extensive literature review, mapping and design inquiry. The design inquiry responds to social, economic, and ecological narratives to inform the design of the reconciliatory-minded memorial. The initial premise of the project was situated in the understanding that events with contested meaning are difficult to memorialize because there are so many differing voices; irreconcilable in the built form. While that is true in some contexts, initial findings suggests these groups are underrepresented because it is difficult to memorialize that which is a contemporary social justice or inter-demographic issue. In light of this and further research, the author believes that memorials seeking to honor demographics or events that directly affect contemporary groups might be contextually more appropriate, and act as mediators, if they focus forward rather than solely and solemnly reflect the past. Conceptual sketches conclude this study, offering possibilities for design expression, which might be realized with community participation.

The thesis pinpoints the responsibility of external powers in the tragic course of the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as their influence on the policy making its leaders, from 1997 to 2001. It points out that, given the country’s geostrategic position in the heart of Africa and its immense natural resources, foreign governments play the preeminent role in the shaping of its destiny, particularly during the abovementioned five-year period marked by the two Congo Wars. This role had been blunt in the demise of Mobutu’s 32 year-long reckless, kleptocratic regime, as a consequence of the shift, by the United States of America aiming to safeguard its hegemonic interests in Central Africa, of the strategically pivotal pawn from Zaire to Uganda in the aftermath of the end of the Cold War. Thus, craving a great influence in the continent and sponsored by multinational companies from North America, Belgium, Australia and South Africa, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, along with his ex-subordinate Rwandan Deputy President Paul Kagame, patronized in October 1996 the Alliance of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (AFDL), a Congolese rebel group led by Laurent Kabila and committed to oust Field Marshal Mobutu who bit the dust on 17 May 1997. The superseding AFDL reign will be mainly featured by the takeover of key positions of the state authority by Rwandans and Ugandans (keeping President Kabila in the thrall of his two eastern mentors), the throttling of the democratic process, the conditioning by major powers of any funding of Kinshasa’s triennial development programme to the Kabila regime’s observance of democracy, human rights and a UN investigation of the mass killing of Hutu Rwandese refugees on the DRC’s soil. That international community’s stance infuriated the Congolese leader who reconsidered all mining contracts signed with multinationals, developing anti-West discourse, promoted South-South cooperation, and expressed Rwandans and Ugandans from the Congo. The Western-backed Rwanda and Uganda bounced back by undertaking a military toppling of Laurent Kabila; but they reaped a fiasco because of three factors: intervention of Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad and Sudan siding with Kinshasa; dissention within the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD); and tension between Kigali and Kampala that initiated the creation of a new rebel group: the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC). The stalemate brought about by this situation and the involvement of the UN, the OAU, the SADC, the US, France and Belgium compelled the warring parties to conclude the Lusaka Agreement, setting up a roadmap for the war end, the inter-Congolese dialogue, a new transitional government, and an electoral process toward the democratic rebirth in the DRC. However, the Lusaka Agreement will be implemented thanks to the rise of Major General Joseph Kabila, after the assassination of his phantasmagoric father Laurent Kabila, paving the way to the Third Republic.

This thesis explores the perceptions of Palestinian university students on topics of peace with Israel and armed or violent conflict engagement strategies. By relying on Frame Analysis literature, this research describes how respondents currently frame these issues and what has influenced the formation of these frames. Using data gathered over a period of three months through a survey and focus group interviews, I identify four dominant frames of peace expressed by respondents. Data were collected from 260 survey respondents and 160 interviewees. I use the data to show different levels of desire for peace with Israel and support for armed conflict engagement based on the way that individuals defined peace. Respondents were pessimistic about peace with Israel and supportive of violent engagement with Israel. Participants who defined peace negatively expressed these sentiments more frequently. Interviewees expressed several grievances against Israeli policies that influence their opinions on peace and violence.

International conflicts are becoming more complex. Many involve multiple intra-state parties with multiple and at times opposing interests. With increasing globalization and the resulting growth in connectivity, the United States and other Western nations will likely find themselves increasingly involved in these conflicts. Recent history has shown that the ‘military option’ is not as effective as previously thought in dealing with inter-state conflicts. Thus, studies that explore other options in the management and resolution of these conflicts are critical. This thesis will explore and analyze the option of a systems theory based model as a model for conflict resolution by specifically analyzing the use of such a model in the present conflict in Yemen.

RESUMO O objetivo do presente estudo é verificar questões relacionadas à solução de conflitos no setor de telecomunicações no período pós-privatização, analisando de forma detalhada um conflito ocorrido entre a Embratel e a Telefônica, com base nos conceitos de negociação, concorrência e solução de conflitos. Inicialmente são apresentados conceitos sobre a forma de organização do Estado e a tendência mundial de flexibilização de monopólios, culminando com a privatização de setores essenciais da economia, como o de telecomunicações; a criação de uma agência nacional para regular o setor e garantir o modelo de competição e universalização; concorrência e competitividade; e as formas de solução de conflitos, com destaque para o setor de telecomunicações no Brasil. Para o estudo de caso, são coletadas informações em fontes secundárias e são realizadas entrevistas na Telefônica e na ANATEL e contato com pessoa indicada pelo CADE. Com os dados coletados é possível analisar o conflito ocorrido após o cumprimento antecipado de metas da Telefônica, o que possibilitou a essa empresa atuar na Região de concessão da Embratel, e a posição dos agentes envolvidos sobre o contexto atual do setor privatizado. / ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to verify some issues related to conflict resolution in the telecommunications sector on the period after the privatization, analyzing in a minucious way a conflict occurred between Embratel and Telefonica, based on the concepts of negotiation, competitivity and conflict resolution. First of all some concepts about the organization of the State and the world tendency of monopoly flexibilization, including the economy essential sectors privatization; the creation of a national agency to rule the sector and assure the eficiency of a competion and universalization model; competitivity; and the conflict resolution forms, specially for the telecommunications sector, are presented. For the study case, informations are taken from secondary sources and interviews at Telefonica and ANATEL, as well as a contact with a lawyer indicated by CADE, are made. With the joint of all the information, it is possible to analyze the conflict ocurred after the early achievement of the goals set when the privatization took place, by Telefonica, what made this company able to offer different services in the area first set for Embratel, and also analyze the position of the agents related to the conflict and their opinion about the actual context of the telecommunications sector.

The need for intergroup reconciliation programmes emerges within the prevailing narrative of cultural conflict. However, failing attempts to resolve conflict at the macro (political) level of society have called for a unique approach that seeks to address these issues creatively at the first point of contact. Therefore, the last twenty years have seen a proliferation of non-profit group workshops and interventions aimed at engaging groups in a diversity of dialogue. To date there have been very few of these interventions that have addressed conflict therapeutically at the micro level of society– at which communities interact directly with another. The aim of this research was to conduct an explorative mixed method study into how an intergroup encounter intervention between Palestinians and Israelis could encourage participants to understand each other as human beings with shared fears, hopes and rights that may surpass assumptions of the other as ‘the enemy’, thereby encouraging participants to ‘give the other a human face’. Conducted with a mixed group of twenty-eight participants, a pre-to-post survey measure analysed behavioural change, while a six-month follow-up interview with four participants explored the impact of participating in the acquaintance seminar on participants lived experiences. Final analysis indicated that while there was a trend towards behavioural change, the outcome was statistically non-significant. Meanwhile interpretive phenomenological analysis produced five key master themes that highlighted the impact of change and the contextual challenges of living with conflict. Managing new relationships and cultural barriers highlighted the key contextual challenges that participants were faced with. This highlights a need for investing resources and training into group conflict programmes that are promoted by key counselling psychology principles of practice. Overall, working with conflict is considered a relevant and unique opportunity for counselling psychologists and group facilitators, most of whom have no formal training or resources for working with conflict resolution in minority groups.

This thesis investigates how the behaviors and skills learned during childhood play are conducive towards successful conflict resolution in adulthood. From reviewing the literature, it is clear that pretend play, social play, and games help the socio-cognitive development of a child. Through these types of play, children learn how to become better at taking another person’s perspective, effectively communicate, and regulate their socio- emotional behavior. Additionally, recognizing that negotiation seems to be the most mature way to handle conflict, I argue that children learn to navigate opposition through engaging in their own peer to peer conflicts during play. As a result, using their practiced perspective-taking, communication, and socio-emotional skills learned from play, they improve in their conflict management. Although there has not been substantial studies connecting play and conflict resolution, it is clear that the skills learned during play are associated with constructive resolution–-which as adults, is usually negotiation. Nonetheless, there needs to be more research done on how engaging in conflict and having these broad behaviors and attributes are more directly related to successful conflict management.

Ethnic conflicts persist in Ghana despite the efforts of governments to resolve them. Governments are increasingly concerned not only about their massive human rights abuses and wide-scale destruction of property that characterize these conflicts, but also the difficulty of resolving them and restoring permanent peace. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to provide a deeper understanding of the processes and mechanisms of transitional justice implemented in Dagbon after war broke out in 2002 and explore the conditions under which these initiatives can be more effective in resolving the conflict and maintain peace. Data were collected through individual interviews, focus group discussions, and review of documents. Thirteen participants were purposively selected from communities, chiefs, and representatives of civil society organizations. Focus groups consisted of four men and four women. NVivo was used to manage and analyze the data. Data were analyzed using the theory of protracted social conflict as a lens and the concept of transitional justice as the conceptual foundation. The findings showed that a mixture of formal retributive and restorative initiatives was implemented. These were imposed on informal institutions and rules more deeply rooted in Dagbon. The institutions also suffered undue pressure from both government and elite of Dagbon which made peacebuilding difficult. A recommendation was made for government to strengthen the Dagbon Traditional Council to lead the conflict resolution process using traditional approaches, and identify and empower a credible civil society group to facilitate the process. The results could potentially change the way the conflict resolution initiatives have been conceptualized and managed in future.

Software development outsourcing is a very common way to gain source for information system among government and private business. Although there are lots of advantages of software development outsourcing, if one do not really understanding outsourcing correctly, not only expected results cannot be met, there will be additional problems. From the past research data and real cases, there are lots of problems shown. There are always lots of participants involved in product development, thus conflicts are very closely associated with participants. If conflicts do not get solved immediately or root caused had not been found right away, conflicts always results in large damages to developments. For example, there are hidden conflicts with in ambiguous document format and request. When mistakes stack up and do not get solved right away, they will become potential conflicts. However, most members do not pay too much attention to the reasons how conflict occurred or to ways of solving but pay more attention on teamwork and professionalism. There were lots of research done in the past regarding the conflicts between customers and suppliers of software development outsoursing; most of them are limited in reseach conflicts of orgination and individuals. Most research methods are market research or individual interviews there is no in depth research regarding the conflict events with long period of data collection and analysis; also tracking the major factors for the root causes. This research method involoved two real cases. We observe, record, and collect data from the real events and interviews participants. We investigate the causes of conflicts between customers and outsourcing suppliers by framing theory. Then we analyzed the cognition of customers and outsourcing suppliers toward conflicts during the research period. Then, this research result came from using six main conflict frames work as conflict types : identity, characterization, fact, power, loose versus gains, process. After the data was collected, we use consistent comparison as a foundation. The purpose is to cross exam the data and found the root causes before and after conflict resolution. In software industry, when people encounter conflicts or found problems of conflict, this research helps them to understand the root cause faster and it provides great resource for project managers. By using real cases records and results as examples to find the root cause or potential problems; people could come to neutral agreement by using conflict management to satisfy both parties.

This dissertation reports on a study of educational administrators and the value conflicts experienced within their schools. The extensive review of literature on values in educational administration has determined very little consensus regarding the influence of values on the practice of educational administrators. A lack of common understanding about the definition of the term values exists along with variations and inconsistencies regarding the pervasiveness of values in educational administration. School leaders frequently encounter value conflicts and their resolution involves considerable degrees of decision making. Participants in this study include members of the cohort of the Ed.D. Program in the Department of Theory and Policy Studies at the University of Toronto, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) as well as practising educational administrators with extensive experience in school leadership. As the researcher works within the Catholic school system, the majority of study participants are Catholic administrators who were accessible to the researcher for participation. A qualitative research methodology was employed and fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted which focused on the three main research questions. The following research questions were addressed in the study: 1. How do educational administrators see the role of values in their work? 2. What types of value conflicts do educational administrators experience? 3. How do educational administrators resolve conflicts that stem from values issues? The findings herein indicate that administrators view values as extremely important and relevant in their work. The influence of values on administrator behavior is evident in how leaders define the term value: as a code/set of rules and fundamental beliefs that guide daily interactions; and a basis for decision making. In terms of conflicts, administrators experience interpersonal conflicts frequently and attribute this type of conflict to differences in stakeholder values. Educational administrators resolve conflicts that stem from values issues by taking a moral stand which allows them to remain committed to their values. The results of this study acknowledge and contribute to the existing field of studies relating to values and value conflict resolution within educational administration while simultaneously suggesting further implications for future research. The adoption of a values-based leadership model and its associated values clarification process is recommended for school leaders as a framework to deal with the existing realities of their complex role. This model has tremendous potential to transform the existing face of educational administration provided it is seamlessly integrated within educational organizations and becomes the new standard of leadership practice.