Using Conflict Theory

by Otomar J. Bartos, Paul Wehr

From family feuds to labor strikes and international warfare, human conflict is an ever-present and universal social problem and the methods to manage it are a challenge for everyone, from average citizens to policymakers and social theorists. This study will educate students about how and why conflict erupts, and under what conditions it can be managed. It is a unique classroom book blending theory and practical application and the first to bridge the science of social theory and the art of practice for students.

232 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2002

Reviews

[Sharif · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book which explores the general reasons behind conflicts. It investigates motivational factors and incompatible interests which precipitate disputes. I would have preferred more practical real life applications.

[Reka Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book gave some overview but not enough.
It doesn't really know where it wants to place itself. The first chapters are so simple it could be a high school reader later on it gets a bit better.
However, it doesn't go deep enough into existing theories Marx for example is mentioned in half a page and then devalued due to another big issue this book faces which is that it is very much written for an American audience and full of American propaganda (even down to conservative American ways of viewing marriage). It is utterly dated.