Suchergebnisse

Since the end of WWII there has been activity in specialized milieus attempting to give to the study of internat'l relations a more rigorous, more systematic, & more interdisciplinary character. The article presents the res projects performed at Stanford U in the grouping 'Studies in International Conflict and Integration.' These projects are characterized by: (a) study in depth of certain crisis situations; (b) the choice, as the primary unit of analysis, of decision-making personalities rather than nation-states; (c) the extensive employment of techniques of content analysis. Certain conclusions drawn from situations akin to the European crisis of 1914 & the Cuban crisis of 1962 are examined. M. Duke.

The Cuban crisis of October 1962 may be analyzed from several perspectives. The investigator may focus his attention on the unique characteristics of the situation and sequence of events which are outlined here. The analyst of international relations may, as is suggested in this paper, examine these events so as to permit relevant comparisons with other crisis situations, both those resolved by war and those eventually resolved by non-violent means. The conceptual framework for this analysis is a two-step mediated stimulus-response model in which the acts of one nation are considered as inputs to other nations. Such psycho-political variables as perceptions and expressions of hostility are traced over time by means of content analysis of documents to test the consistency of the model. In the Cuban crisis, both sides tended to perceive rather accurately the nature of the adversary's actions and then proceeded to act at an appropriate level. Efforts by either party to delay or reverse the escalation toward conflict were generally perceived as such, and responded to in like manner.

Human groups & associations of all sorts - from the fam, clique, clan, & tribe to the largest religious org's & statesare often in conflict. The assumption is not uncommon, indeed, that 'peace within & conflict without' are essential characteristics of group life. Closer examination suggests, however, that conflicts exist within the various groups themselves - within even the most cohesive & durable - & contribute substantially to their perpetuation. In considering both intergroup conflict & that occurring internally between component parts of a single group, 2 kinds of effects may be distinguished. On the 1 hand, conflict may result in the destruction or disruption of all or certain of the bonds of unity which may previously have existed between the disputants. On the other hand, conflict may strengthen pre-existing ties or contribute to the establishment of unifying bonds where none before existed. It is with the latter that the present paper is concerned: given the existence of a conflict, under what conditions, if any, will that conflict produce a stronger bond between parties than that which existed theretofore? In short, what are the integrative functions of conflict? The unit of concern for this study is the group, esp the integrative function of conflicts within & between particular groups, namely, those which may be designated org's. After defining concepts of conflict & integration, attention is placed on the binding effect which sometimes emerges from struggles between separate org'al units, the appearance of new, combined entities, & the various ways in which conflicts may be negotiated. AA.