Conflict Transformation
The gray circle represents the murky challenge of a conflict. It’s the place where a seed is buried and a plant begins. Though being buried in the ground means death for a seed, it is the only way a plant will grow and fulfill the seed’s potential. In a way, conflicts are like seeds, full of growth potential if the environment is right and the emerging plant is cultivated carefully.
The spiral sprout represents the life cycle of a conflict. A conflict usually starts small but escalates in widening spirals of negativity until some action is taken to manage or resolve the conflict. If no action is taken, escalating conflict will end destructively – and persistently avoiding a conflict usually leads to separation. Even if conflict is successfully managed, it may resume again in another, future form. However, when conflict is understood as an opportunity for parties to grow together or to co-create something new, the cycle of negativity can be transformed into an increasing cycle of trust and partnership.1 In this logo, conflict is depicted as a natural part of desired growth.
You can see that the spiral is purple – a mix of red and blue, colors which are often depicted in opposition. The stories we tell ourselves2 and what we believe about our conflicts can be quite different from what other people see and understand.3 One party begins at red. The other party starts from blue. The color purple envisions what is possible when parties in conflict do two things:
In that scenario, it is possible to form a new and more full understanding of the situation, from which the parties can work together to resolve each others’ concerns. The fusion of red and blue is purple, representing the mutual understanding that is cultivated when all parties are heard and understood.
Green leaves represent the transformation that occurs when a seed has been given an adequate environment to grow. A plant need not die in the ground, and our conflicts need not end destructively either. When cultivated properly, conflicts are transformed into opportunities. When parties understand each others’ concerns and work toward shared goals, they create what was not possible before.
In my peace work, I seek to promote understanding, connection, and collaboration. When parties in conflict learn to understand and express their own concerns and situation effectively, they become equipped to connect with others across lines of difference to understand them. Eventually, they can even collaborate to achieve shared goals together. Conflict can be transformed into something constructive!
With commitment, imagination, and sincere engagement, a new future can be birthed out of conflict. What if your current conflict could be transformed? What future would you like to create?
If you’re a Christian, curious about the Biblical foundations for conflict transformation, here’s a great read by Dan Buttry at his website. And, there are more faith-based peace education resources available here.
Endnotes
1 Evidence based advice for transforming negative conflict spirals.
2 Beware of trusting the stories you tell yourself as ultimate truth.
3 Beware of believing a single story about others.
4 Why courage and vulnerability matter, and how they are connected.
5 How to listen more effectively to someone with whom you disagree.
Seeds Will Grow 