4th Global Conference
Communication and Conflict
Wednesday 18th March – Friday 20th March 2015
Lisbon, Portugal
Our ability to communicate successfully affects so many aspects of our lives. Difficulties, indeed failures, or breakdowns in communication can play a major role in hostility, conflict and war. Communication problems can thwart the successful realisation of desirable outcomes lead to personal frustration and systemic entropy.
The framework of human communication raises broad contextual issues that concern relationship, learning and knowledge exchange, and the fundamental nature of humanity. How can we negotiate understanding where those involved have quite different modes of communication, language, specialisations and world views? How can conflict be avoided when disagreement is based upon history, culture, and perception? How might we begin to consider and even appreciate views that are strikingly divergent from our own, and how does communication effectively bridge such difficult conceptual chasms? How are good decisions made and tasks accomplished in an environment where communication is so difficult?
Conflict, the outcome of communication difficulties and entrenched positions, as it activates deeply held values and emotions also challenges individuals, groups and entire nations to embrace change. In this context how communication and conflict are perceived and negotiated will influence how opportunities to establish useful reciprocity are used. In the cut and thrust of everyday life being able to recognise, track, and respond to different levels of communication can be challenging. It may require an appreciation of knowledge and the realities of differences that are alien to our own. Communication in conflict may often force its participants into uncharted territory and the journey to find a common ground upon which to stand is necessarily complicated by competing human agendas.
This inter- and multi-disciplinary conference project seeks to explore these and other topics and create dialogue about communication and conflict. The organizers seek submissions from a range of disciplines including communication studies, journalism, public affairs, public relations, philosophy, psychology, literature, management, business studies, information technology, science, the visual and creative arts, music, politics and also actively encourage practitioners and non-academics with an interest in the topic to participate.
The organizers welcome traditional papers, preformed panels of papers, workshop proposals and other forms of performance recognising that different disciplines express themselves in different mediums. Submissions are sought on any aspect of Communications including the following:
1. Non-violent, or Compassionate, Communication
– Honest expression of needs (e.g. language, texts, performance making, and art)
– Empathy (e.g. understanding and client/patient-centred approaches)
– Spiritual connections (e.g. intercession, forgiveness, and meaning-making)
– Active listening (e.g. interpersonal skills and conflict resolution)
– Compassion (e.g. connection with the self and others)
– Managing power and facilitating change (e.g. resistance and receptivity, defensiveness and openness, violence and passivity)
2. Communication, Disputes and Conflict
– Workplace
– Domestic
– International relations and a world context
– Cultural
– Spiritual
– War
– Terrorism
– Cyber-space
3. Communication Breakdowns and Breakthroughs
– Breakdowns (e.g. language and gender differences, misinterpretations, mental illness, failure to notice, to listen, effects of complexity, and disagreements)
– Breakthroughs (e.g. reactive responses through music, drama, literature, art, and humour)
4. Dehumanising Communication
– Reification (e.g. news and social media)
– Alienation (e.g. from self and as a means of oppression and social control)
– Portraying and/or representing (e.g. memories of strangers, enemies, and the other)
– Effects of technology (e.g. electronic communication and gaming)
5. Dialogue
– Friendship
– Philosophy
– Dialogical Relationships
– Counselling and Psychotherapy
– Teaching (formal and informal)
– Respect and recognition
6. Communication in Health and Illness
– Stories and symptoms
– Communicating meaning
– Role of communication in treatment
– Communicating identity and experience
– Communicating care
7. Communication and Decision Making
– Role of communication in making decisions (e.g. in avoidant, problem-solving or -seeking strategies)
– Conflicting opinions and views (e.g. communication and reconciliation)
– Approaches to decision making (e.g. rationalised conformity of groupthink)
The Steering Group particularly welcomes the submission of pre-formed panel proposals. Papers will also be considered on any related theme.
What to Send:
300 word abstracts should be submitted by Friday 31st October 2014. All submissions are at least double blind peer reviewed. If an abstract is accepted for the conference, a full draft paper should be submitted by Friday 23rd January 2015. Abstracts should be submitted simultaneously to the Organising Chairs; abstracts may be in Word or RTF formats with the following information and in this order:
a) author(s), b) affiliation, c) email address, d) title of abstract, e) body of abstract, f) up to 10 keywords.
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