Conflict resolution in
China
Di Bretherton
Australian Centre for Peace and
Conflict Studies
August 1, 2007
History
• Visit to China in 1980
• Work with UNESCO in lead up to UN
International Year of a Culture of Peace
2000
• CPNN in six UN languages
• UNESCO and Chinese Government
choose University of Nankai as Chinese
partner in project
Exchanges
• Chinese delegation to Australia 2000
• Mark Wayland as young Ambassador to
Nankai
• Carla Neale as young Ambassador to
Nankai (publication of guidebook)
• Di Bretherton as visiting lecturer at Nankai
• Nankai decides to establish Conflict
Resolution and Human Rights Centre
Where?
• University of Nankai is one of five
Universities funded by the central
government
• University of Nankai is in Tianjin
• Conflict resolution is located in
Department of International Relations
• One of the aims is for students to use
English
Who?
• There are two courses
• Conflict resolution for about 40 masters
and PhD students
• Larger and more public lectures in Public
Administration, with government officials
attending in evenings
• Colleague Prof Han assists with language
What?
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Courses are similar to those taught here
In English
Notes on web and Chinese key words
Small group work in Chinese
Usual Chinese lecture is very long ( 2 to 3
hours with questions afterwards)
• Use of workshop method is new in China
but works well
When?
• Start of May or October semester for 4 to
6 weeks
• First week of May and October is a
national holiday……too many people
Politics
• Need to respect political sensitivities
• Indirect approach
• Students and staff raise sensitive issues
themselves
• One child policy
Culture and conflict
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History of patriarchy
Importance of guanxi (Siew Fang Law)
Emphasis on long term
Emphasis on relationships
Emphasis on obligations
Separation of domestic and international
peace in the language
• Mixture of traditional and modern attitudes
Role Play: Two mothers
• This story is about a judge who is unorthodox but wise. He is called
upon to try the following case:
• There is an aristocratic family who has a child. The mother is rather
spoilt and likes to lead the good life, leaving the care of her son to a
maid. The maid is very fond of the child and when there is a
revolutionary uprising pretends he is her own son to protect him.
During the upheaval the father is killed.
• Time passes and the politics change such that the son is now the
heir to the family fortune.
• The case comes to court when both women (the maid who has
taken care of the child and the biological mother) claim to be the
mother of the child. The judge must decide who should have the
child (and the fortune).
• Who do you think should have the child?
• How does the judge decide?
Conflict （冲突）
• Conflict or disagreement between people
is inevitable
• Some conflict may be desirable
• Controversy （争议） may lead to
constructive debate
• Repressing conflict and different ideas
may stifle （抑制、窒息）change
• However, chronic （长期的） unresolved
conflict is harmful
Puzzle
• Remember the conflict styles ( based on
Thomas)
• David Johnson uses shark, turtle, fox,
teddy bear and owl to explain them
• Which one doesn’t fit in China?
• Why?