Conflict resolution: a comparative analysis of three African case studies.

Abstract

Conflict Resolution is a process in which two or more players, holding dissimilar perceptions of a central issue in a dispute, employ strategies consonant with the resources they hold to obtain their goals in the conflict. This thesis examines this process in three contemporary conflicts on the African continent--the Sudan civil war, the Zimbabwe/Rhodesia independence crisis, and the continuing conflict in Namibia. A checklist was developed to establish a theoretical framework for examining the key elements in each conflict. The interaction of these elements--the issues, goals, strategy, resources and limitations and the patterns that evolve from this interaction is analyzed from the perspective of the African continent and within the context of conflict resolution. The primary objective of this project is to provide a comparative analysis of the three conflicts selected for study to gain increased insight into the dynamics of each case and to expand upon the theoretical and practical understanding of conflict resolution.