Working With Conflict: Skills And Strategies For Action By Simon Fisher

According to the book titled Working with Conflict: Skills and Strategies for Action written by Simon Fisher and team (2000), there are theories that explained the cause of social and cultural conflict, which are:
1. Relational Theory
The relational theory tends to discuss ethnic or identity based conflicts. The nature of people to interact with individual or groups from different backgrounds, cultures and values are the causes that could trigger conflict. Especially for groups who share common resources are possibly more to involve in conflict. Aside from that, history from generation before them also influences the way people interact with others. Therefore, poor communication and misperception between individuals or groups are the consequences of conflict. Targets to be achieved by this theory is to improve communication and understanding between groups in conflict, and cultivate tolerance and so that more people can mutually accept the diversity that exists within them.
2.
Because of unequal positions, individuals or groups tend to compete to take advantage from others. Individuals or groups gain more power when others are defeated. Targets to be achieved by this theory is to assist parties in conflict to separate personal feelings with various problems and issues and launch a process of reaching an agreement that benefits all parties.
3. Human Needs Theory
Human Needs Theory explains conflict as the root of inequality or inadequate in fulfilling human needs such as freedom, identity, ability for action and creativity, privacy, participation, recognition, security and protection. Targets to be achieved by this theory is to help the parties involved in conflict to identify and strive their needs that are not fulfilled together, and generate options to fulfill those needs.
4. Identity