Introduction
In our work as organisers and campaigners, there is often an element of debate or conflict in our work, especially when it comes to shifting power and lobbying external decision-makers. But what about conflict within our spaces? How we approach it, hold each other accountable, and move through it requires practice.
This article reflects on key learnings from a workshop facilitated by Noura Mansour, a Palestinian activist, and Anisha Senaratne, a Naarm based facilitator, at the FWD+Organise Conference in Naarm/Melbourne in December 2024.
The workshop explored the intersections of personal and political conflict, applying a decolonial lens and lived experiences to examine how conflict transformation can be a powerful tool in both our personal and political lives.
Leaning into conflict is political. – Anisha Senaratne
Decolonial Theory
Noura and Anisha began the workshop with a grounding in decolonial theory.
From a decolonial perspective, conflict is not just something to resolve or manage – it is an opportunity to transform systems and cultures that perpetuate harm and inequality.
Indigenous cultures around the world have long held transformative practices for dealing with conflict that differ from the Western paradigms of conflict management, resolution, or avoidance. These practices have often been disrupted by colonisation, which imposed foreign systems of governance and justice, sidelining Indigenous ways of dealing with interpersonal and collective disputes.
In decolonial theory, conflict is viewed as inherently cultural and systemic. This means that understanding the root causes of conflicts – such as power imbalances, historical trauma, and colonial legacies – is crucial to effectively addressing them.
Conflict transformation goes beyond simply managing or resolving conflict and involves fundamentally understanding what the conflict is about, why it exists, and how it connects to broader systems of inequality and injustice. It also creates room to investigate the deeper universal human needs that sit below the surface of interpersonal conflicts.
In this sense, conflict is not something to be suppressed but to be engaged with deeply, as it provides key understanding for dismantling harmful structures, and building authentic, enduring relationships needed to sustain social justice work. As West African elder, Malidoma Somé says,
Conflict is the spirit of the relationship asking itself to deepen.
Skills, Structures & Relationships
In the workshop we were introduced to the Skills/Relationships/Structures model, which offers a holistic approach to navigating and transforming conflict.
This model emphasises the need to address three interconnected dimensions:
- Skills
The tools and capacities individuals develop to engage with conflict effectively, such as active listening, mediation, and critical self-reflection. - Relationships
The dynamics of trust, empathy, and connection between individuals or groups, which are foundational for addressing conflict meaningfully. - Structures
The systems, frameworks, and processes – both formal and informal – that shape how conflict is approached. The facilitators stressed that the ultimate goal is that we have built up the skills and relationships to navigate conflict without the need for formal structure.
If we trust each other and have some basic skills, we should be able to manage conflict without a mediator, without calling the police, and without creating more bureaucracy to manage it. – Kazu Haga, Nonviolence Practitioner and Trainer
Emotional Regulation
The ability to build awareness of emotions and develop practices to regulate emotions when stepping into peer-to-peer conflict situations was discussed as a key skill to conflict transformation.
Participants were invited to reflect on what parts of their bodies are activated in moments of high stress and how this impacts their ability to communicate and receive other’s communication. They were invited to share practices and tools that they use to ground themselves.
Mapping Conflict
Participants were introduced to a mapping tool to support them to build a deeper understanding of conflict by investigating the different layers of a conflict.
- Positions: a clear demand/ask.
- Don’t kick the ball against my house.
- Interests: the underlying reason for the demand.
- I don’t want my window to be broken.
- Needs: the core of the conflict, basic human needs/ values.
- I need safety and protection.
Case Study – Conflict Theory in the Palestine Context
During the workshop, Noura reflected on the use of conflict theory in the Palestine-Israel context. She discussed how all forms of conflict theory—conflict management, conflict resolution, and conflict transformation – have been applied to the ongoing conflict.
Conflict Management
Conflict management in the Palestinian context aims to mitigate the conflict’s severity without resolving its root causes.
In this context, conflict management focuses on “damage control” rather than comprehensive resolution.
Conflict Resolution
The Oslo Accords represent a significant attempt at conflict resolution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Key elements of the Oslo process included:
- Establishing Palestinian self-governance in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
- Transferring authority to Palestinians in various sectors
- Initiating a five-year transitional period for negotiations on outstanding issues
- Creating a framework for future peaceful relations between Israel and Palestine
Conflict Transformation
Conflict transformation in the Palestinian context takes a deeper approach. It questions the very nature of the conflict, understanding it as cultural and systemic, shaped by long histories of dispossession, displacement, and colonial occupation.
Conflict transformation in this context would involve addressing the root causes of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict – examining historical injustices, deconstructing the systems of occupation and oppression, and building a more equitable and inclusive future.
Final Thoughts…
One notable observation from the session/workshop was that participants found personal conflict more challenging to address than work or activism-related conflict.
Participants reflected that this could be due to the emotional and intimate nature of personal relationships, where trust and shared history play a significant role. Additionally, one participant pointed out that a lack of clear structure in resolving personal conflicts could make them feel even more difficult to navigate, suggesting the importance of frameworks for conflict transformation in all areas of life.
It was also observed that the activist space presents a uniquely complex context, where the personal and the political often become deeply intertwined. Social networks in activist circles are frequently built around shared values and politics, meaning conflicts in the political sphere can easily spill over into personal relationships and vice versa.
When conflict transformation is applied in these circumstances, it not only helps to address the immediate tensions but also offers an opportunity to use conflict constructively.
By approaching conflict as a chance to deepen understanding, strengthen relationships, and foster growth, these challenges can become a pathway to more resilient and connected communities.
About Workshop Presenters
Noura Mansour is a Palestinian educator, political analyst, and community organiser, born and raised in the coastal city of Akka. Noura is one the leading advocates in the Palestinian community and has over 20 years experience working on policy, community development, locally and internationally. Noura has worked as a consultant and a strategist with civil society organization in Jerusalem and the West Bank, as well as solidarity movements in South Korea and Australia. Noura, a mother of 2, currently is the National Director of Democracy in Colour, and previously a General Manager at the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN).
Anisha Senaratne is Sri Lankan, migrated to Naarm in 2010, and has been living and working on Wurundjeri country ever since. She has worked and volunteered in movement spaces across the past 6 years including at Organisations such as GetUp and the Foundation For Young Australians. She is passionate about the power of facilitation, political education and art as tools to transform the world, and is particularly interested in the intersections of healing and justice work.
Explore Further
- Skills / Relationships / Structures Worksheet, Interrupting Criminalization
- Our Personal Approach to Conflict: Analysis and Reflection [Exercise], WeRise Toolkit, JASS
- In It Together: A Framework for Conflict Transformation In Movement-Building Groups, Interrupting Criminalization
- Leaderful Organizing Tool: Conflict Icebergs
- De-escalate, Manage and Transform Conflict
- Principles of Co-operative Conflict Resolution
- Working with Conflict in our Groups: A Guide for Grassroots Activists
- Conflict is Inevitable: Knowledge Roundup
- Mediation for Movements: Managing Intra-Movement Conflict
- ‘Nonviolence is about what you’re going to do in the face of violence’ — a conversation with Kazu Haga
- On Conflict and Consensus
- De-escalate, Manage and Transform Conflict
- Transformative Approaches to Conflict Resolution
- Pathways to Repair: Guides to Navigate Healing, Trust building and Human Messiness
- Working in Groups: Start Here
- Four Roles in Palestine Solidarity Activism
- Mental Health in the Palestine Solidarity Movement: Supporting Each Other
- Commons Librarians’ Recommended Resources for FWD+Organise 2024
- Other resources from FWD+Organise 2024