Social conflict definition. Cheat Sheet: Social conflicts, their causes, types and role in public life

History suggests that human civilization has always been accompanied by enmity. Some types of social conflict affected an individual people, city, country, or even a continent. Disagreements between people were less widespread, but each species was a popular problem. So, already ancient people tried to live in a world where concepts such as social conflict, their types and causes, would be unknown. The people did everything to make the dreams of a conflict-free society come true.

As a result of painstaking and laborious work, a state began to be created, which was supposed to extinguish various types of social conflicts. For this purpose, a large number of regulatory laws have been issued. Years passed, and scientists continued to come up with models of an ideal society without conflicts. Of course, all these discoveries were just theory, because all attempts were doomed to failure, and sometimes became the reasons for even greater aggression.

Social conflict as part of teaching

Disagreements between people as part of social relationships were highlighted by Adam Smith. In his opinion, it was precisely the social conflict that was the reason why the population began to be divided into social classes. But there was also a positive side. Indeed, thanks to the conflicts that arose, the population could discover a lot of new things and find ways that would help get out of the situation.

German sociologists were convinced that conflicts are characteristic of all peoples and nationalities. Indeed, in every society there are individuals who want to raise themselves and their interests above their social environment. Therefore, there is a division of the level of human interest in this or that issue, and class inequality also arises.

But American sociologists in their works mentioned that without conflicts, social life will be monotonous, devoid of interpersonal interaction. At the same time, only the participants of society themselves are able to kindle hostility, control it and put it out in the same way.

Conflict and the modern world

Today, not a single day of human life is practically complete without a clash of interests. Such clashes can affect absolutely any sphere of life. As a result, various types and forms of social conflict arise.

So, social conflict is the last stage of the collision of different views on one situation. Social conflict, the types of which we will consider below, can become a large-scale problem. So, due to a lack of separation of interests or opinions of others, family and even national contradictions appear. As a result, the type of conflict may change, depending on the scale of the action.

If you try to decipher the concept and types of social conflicts, then you can clearly see that the meaning of this term is much wider than it seems initially. There are many interpretations of one term, because each nationality understands it in its own way. But the basis is the same meaning, namely the clash of interests, opinions and even goals of people. For a better perception, it can be assumed that any types of social conflicts - this is another form of human relations in society.

Functions of social conflict

As you can see, the concept of social conflict and its components were defined long before modern times. It was then that the conflict was endowed with certain functions, thanks to which its significance for social society is clearly visible.

So there are several important functions:

Signal.
Informational.
Differentiating.
Dynamic.

The meaning of the first is immediately indicated by its name. Therefore, it is clear that due to the nature of the conflict, it is possible to determine the state of the society and what it wants. Sociologists are sure that if people start a conflict, then there are certain reasons and unresolved problems. Therefore, it is regarded as a kind of signal that it is necessary to act urgently and do something.

Informational - has a meaning similar to the previous function. Information about the conflict is of great importance on the path to determining the causes of occurrence. By processing such data, the government studies the essence of all events taking place in society.

Thanks to the third function, society acquires a certain structure. So, in the event of a conflict affecting public interests, even those who previously would prefer not to intervene take part in it. There is a division of the population into certain social groups.

The fourth function was discovered during the worship of the teachings of Marxism. It is believed that it is she who plays the role of an engine in all social processes.

Reasons why conflicts arise

The reasons are quite obvious and understandable, even if we consider only the definition of social conflicts. Everything is hidden precisely in different views on action. After all, often some try, by all means, to impose their ideas, even if they harm others. This happens when there are several options for using one item.

The types of social conflict vary, depending on many factors such as scale, theme, character, and more. So, even family disagreements have the character of social conflict. After all, when a husband and wife share TV, trying to watch different channels, a dispute arises on the basis of a clash of interests. To solve such a problem, two televisions are needed, then there could be no conflict.

According to sociologists, conflicts in society cannot be avoided, because proving one's point of view is a natural aspiration of a person, which means that nothing can change this. They also concluded that a social conflict, the types of which are not dangerous, may even be beneficial for society. After all, this is how people learn not to perceive others as enemies, become closer and begin to respect each other's interests.

Components of the conflict

Any conflict includes two mandatory components:

the reason for the disagreement is called the object;
people, whose interests collided in the dispute, are also subjects.

There are no restrictions on the number of participants in the dispute;

The reason for the conflict may appear in the literature as an incident.

By the way, the conflict that has arisen does not always have an open form. It also happens that the collision of different ideas has become the cause of resentment, which are part of what is happening. This is how various types of socio-psychological conflicts arise, which have a latent form and can be called "frozen" conflicts.

Types of social conflicts

Knowing what a conflict is, what are its causes and components, we can identify the main types of social conflicts. They are determined by:

1. Duration and nature of development:

temporary;
long-term;
accidentally arising;
specially organized.

2. Capture scale:

global - concerning the whole world;
local - affecting a separate part of the world;
regional - between neighboring countries;
group - between certain groups;
personal - family conflict, dispute with neighbors or friends.

3. The goals of the conflict and the methods of resolution:

a violent street fight, an obscene scandal;
fighting according to the rules, cultural conversation.

4. Number of participants:

personal (occur in mentally ill people);
interpersonal (clash of interests of different people, for example, brother and sister);
intergroup (contradiction in the interests of different social associations);

people of the same level;
people of different social levels, positions;
both.

There are many different classifications and divisions that are considered arbitrary. So, the first 3 types of social conflicts can be considered key.

Solving problems causing social conflict

Reconciliation of the hostile parties is the main task of the state legislature. It is clear that it is impossible to avoid all conflicts, but it is necessary to try to avoid at least the most serious ones: global, local and regional. Given the types of conflict, social relations between warring parties can be forged in several ways.

Ways to resolve conflict situations:

1. An attempt to get away from the scandal - one of the participants can fence off the conflict, transferring it to a “frozen” state.

2. Conversation - it is necessary to discuss the problem that has arisen and jointly find its solution.

3. Involve a third party.

4. Postpone the dispute for a while. This is most often done when the facts run out. The enemy yields to interests temporarily in order to collect more evidence of his innocence. Most likely, the conflict will resume.

5. Resolution of the conflicts that have arisen through the courts, in accordance with the legislative framework.

To reconcile the parties to the conflict, it is necessary to find out the reason, purpose and interest of the parties. Also important is the mutual desire of the parties to come to a peaceful resolution of the situation that has arisen. Then you can look for ways in which you can overcome the conflict.

Conflict stages

Like any other process, the conflict has certain stages of development. The first stage is considered the time immediately before the conflict. It is at this moment that the clash of subjects occurs. Disputes arise due to different opinions about one subject or situation, but at this stage it is possible to prevent the incitement of an immediate conflict.

If one of the parties does not yield to the opponent, then the second stage will follow, which has the character of a debate. Here, each side is furiously trying to prove their case. Due to the great tension, the situation is heating up and after a certain time passes into the stage of direct conflict.

Examples of social conflicts in world history

The main three types of social conflicts can be demonstrated by examples of old events that left an imprint on the life of the population then and influenced modern life.

Thus, the First and Second World Wars are considered one of the most striking and famous examples of global social conflict. Almost all existing countries took part in this conflict; in history, these events have remained the largest military-political clashes of interests. Because the war was fought on three continents and four oceans. Only in this conflict was the most terrible nuclear weapon used.

This is the strongest and most importantly known example of global social conflicts. After all, in it the peoples who were previously considered fraternal fought against each other. More such terrible examples in world history have not been recorded.

Much more information is available directly about interregional and group conflicts. So, during the transition of power to the tsars, the living conditions of the population also changed. Every year, public discontent grew more and more, protests and political tension appeared. People were not satisfied with many moments, without clarification of which it was impossible to strangle the popular uprising. The more the authorities in tsarist Russia tried to crush the interests of the population, the more conflict situations intensified on the part of the dissatisfied residents of the country.

Over time, more and more people became convinced of the infringement of their interests, so the social conflict gained momentum and changed the opinion of others. The more people became disillusioned with the authorities, the closer the mass conflict approached. It was with such actions that most of the civil wars began against the political interests of the country's leadership.

Already during the reign of the tsars, there were prerequisites for the outbreak of social conflicts based on dissatisfaction with political work. It is these situations that confirm the existence of problems that were caused by the dissatisfaction of existing living standards. And it was the social conflict that was the reason to move on, develop and improve policies, laws and government abilities.

Summing up

Social conflicts are an integral part of modern society. The disagreements that arose during the tsarist regime are a necessary part of our current life, because, perhaps, it is thanks to those events that we have the opportunity, maybe not enough, but it is still better to live. Only thanks to our ancestors did society move from slavery to democracy.

Today, it is better to take personal and group types of social conflicts as a basis, examples of which are very often encountered in our life. We are faced with contradictions in family life, looking at simple everyday issues from different points of view, we defend our opinion, and all these events seem to be simple, everyday things. That is why social conflict is so multifaceted. Therefore, everything that concerns him, it is necessary to study more and more in detail.

Of course, everyone says that conflict is bad, that you cannot compete and live by your own rules. But, on the other hand, disagreements are not so bad, especially if they are resolved at the initial stages. After all, it is precisely because of the emergence of conflicts that society develops, moves forward and seeks to change the existing order. Even if the result leads to material and moral losses.

Social conflict (from lat. confliktus- collision) is the highest stage in the development of contradictions in relations between people, social groups, society as a whole, which is characterized by a clash of opposing interests, goals, and positions of the subjects of interaction. Conflicts can be latent or overt, but they are always based on a lack of agreement between two or more parties.

Social conflict concept

It is one of the varieties of social conflict.

The word "" (from lat. confliktus) means a collision (of parties, opinions, forces). The concept of social conflict as a collision of two or more subjects of social interaction is widely interpreted by representatives of various directions of the conflictological paradigm. So, in the view of K. Marx in a class society, the main social conflict manifests itself in the form of an antagonistic class struggle, the culmination of which is a social revolution. According to L. Koser, conflict is one of the types of social interaction, during which there is "a struggle for values \u200b\u200band claims to status, power and resources, during which opponents neutralize, harm or eliminate their rivals." In R. Dahrendorf's interpretation, social conflict is a different intensity of types of clashes between conflicting groups, in which the class struggle is one of the types of confrontation.

It is an open confrontation, a clash of two or more subjects (parties) of social interaction, the causes of which are incompatible needs, interests and values.

The conflict is based on subjective-objective contradictions. However, not every contradiction turns into conflict. The concept of contradiction in its content is broader than the concept of conflict. Social contradictions are the main determinants of social development. They "permeate" all spheres of social relations and for the most part do not escalate into conflict. In order for objectively existing (periodically arising) contradictions to be transformed into a social conflict, it is necessary that the subjects (subject) of interaction realize that this or that contradiction is an obstacle to their achievement of vital goals and interests. According to K. Boulding, a conflict arises when "ripe" contradictions are perceived by the parties as incompatible and each of the parties seeks to seize a position that excludes the intentions of the other party. Therefore, conflicting contradictions are subjective and objective in nature.

Objective contradictions are those that actually exist in society, regardless of the will and desire of the subjects. For example, the contradictions between labor and capital, between the managers and the governed, the contradictions between "fathers" and "children", etc.

In addition to objectively existing (emerging) contradictions, imaginary contradictions may arise in the subject's imagination when there are no objective reasons for the conflict, but the subject realizes (perceives) the situation as a conflict. In this case, we can talk about subjective-subjective contradictions. Another situation is also possible when conflicting contradictions really exist, but the subject believes that there are no sufficient reasons for the conflict.

Contradictions can exist for a fairly long period of time and do not develop into a conflict. Therefore, it must be borne in mind that the conflict is based only on those contradictions caused by incompatible interests, needs and values. Such contradictions, as a rule, give rise to an open struggle of the parties, confrontation.

The causes of the conflict can be a variety of problems, for example, a conflict over material resources, over values \u200b\u200band the most important attitudes, over power powers (problems of domination), over status and role differences in social structure, over personal (including emotionally -psychological) differences, etc. Thus, conflicts cover all spheres of human life, the entire set of social relations, social interaction. Conflict, in essence, is one of the types of social interaction, the subjects and participants of which are individual individuals, large and small social groups and organizations. However, conflict interaction presupposes a confrontation between the parties, i.e., actions of subjects directed against each other.

The form of collisions - violent or non-violent - depends on many factors, including whether there are real conditions and possibilities (mechanisms) for non-violent conflict resolution, what goals are pursued by the subjects of confrontation, what attitudes the conflicting parties are "guided by", etc.

So, a social conflict is an open confrontation, a clash of two or more subjects (parties) of social interaction, the causes of which are incompatible needs, interests and values.

The structure of social conflict

In a simplified form, the structure of social conflict consists of the following elements:

object - the specific reason for the collision of the subjects;
two or more subjectsconflicting because of any object;
incident - a formal reason for the start of an open confrontation.

The conflict is preceded by the occurrence conflict situation. These are the contradictions that arise between the subjects about the object.

Under the influence of the growth of social tension, the conflict situation is gradually transformed into an open social conflict. But tension itself can last for a long time and not escalate into conflict. For a conflict to become real, an incident is needed — a formal pretext for the start of a conflict.

However, the real conflict has a more complex structure. For example, in addition to subjects, participants (direct and indirect), supporters, sympathizers, instigators, mediators, arbitrators, etc. are involved in it. Each of the parties to the conflict has its own qualitative and quantitative characteristics. The object can also have its own characteristics. In addition, a real conflict develops in a certain social and physical environment, which also influences it. Therefore, a more complete structure of social (political) conflict will be considered below.

The essence of social conflict

Sociological understanding and modern understanding of social conflict was first laid down by a German sociologist G. Simmel. In work "Social conflict" he notes that the process of development of society goes through a social conflict, when obsolete cultural forms are "demolished" and new ones are born. Today, a whole branch of sociology is already engaged in the theory and practice of regulating social conflicts - conflictology. The most famous representatives of this trend are R. Dahrendorf, L. Coser. K. Bouldinghydr.

German sociologist R. Dahrendorf created the theory of the conflict model of society. According to the scientist, in any society, at any moment, social conflicts can arise, which are based on a conflict of interests. Dahrendorf considers conflicts as an indispensable element of social life, which, being sources of innovation, contribute to the constant development of society. The main task is to learn how to control them.

The American sociologist L. Coser developed the theory of positive-functional conflict. By social conflict, he understood the struggle for values \u200b\u200band claims to a certain status, power and resources, a struggle in which the goals of opponents are to neutralize, damage or eliminate the enemy.

According to this theory, social inequality, which inevitably exists in every society and causes natural social dissatisfaction of people, often leads to social conflicts. L. Coser sees the positive functions of conflicts in the fact that they contribute to the renewal of society and stimulate social and economic progress.

General theory of conflict belongs to an American sociologist K. Boulding. A conflict in his understanding is a situation in which the parties realize the incompatibility of their positions and, at the same time, strive to get ahead of the opponent, to beat him. In modern society, according to Boulding, conflicts are inevitable, so it is necessary to control and manage them. The main signs of conflict are:

the presence of a situation that is perceived by the opposing parties as a conflict;
the participants in the conflict have opposite goals, needs, interests and methods of achieving them;
interaction of conflicting parties;
the results of conflict interaction;
the use of pressure and even force.

The identification of the main types is of great importance for the sociological analysis of social conflicts. There are the following types of conflicts:

1. by the number of participants in the conflict interaction:

intrapersonal - a person's state of dissatisfaction with any circumstances of his life, which are associated with the presence of conflicting needs and interests. aspirations and can cause affects;
interpersonal - a disagreement between two or more members of the same group or several groups;
intergroup - occur between social groups that pursue incompatible goals and hinder each other with their practical actions;

2. by the direction of conflict interaction:

horizontal - between people who are not subordinate to each other;
vertical - between people who are subordinate to each other;
mixed - in which both are presented. The most widespread are vertical and mixed conflicts, accounting for an average of 70-80% of all conflicts;

3. by source of occurrence:

objectively determined - caused by objective reasons, which can be eliminated only by changing the objective situation;
subjectively conditioned - associated with the personal characteristics of conflicting people, as well as with situations that create barriers to the satisfaction of their desires, aspirations, interests;

4.in its functions:

creative (integrative) - promoting renewal, introduction of new structures, policies, leadership;
destructive (disintegrative) - destabilizing social systems;

5. by the duration of the course:

short-term - caused by mutual misunderstanding or mistakes of the parties, which are quickly recognized;
protracted - associated with deep moral and psychological trauma or with objective difficulties. The duration of the conflict depends both on the subject of the contradiction and on the character traits of the people who collided;

6.In terms of its internal content:

rational - covering the sphere of reasonable, business rivalry, redistribution of resources;
emotional - in which the participants act on the basis of personal animosity;

7.In terms of methods and means of resolution, conflicts are peaceful and armed:

8. By taking into account the content of the problems that caused conflict actions, distinguish economic, political, family and household, industrial, spiritual and moral, legal, environmental, ideological and other conflicts.

The analysis of the course of the conflict is carried out in accordance with its three main stages: the pre-conflict situation, the conflict itself and the stage of resolution.

Pre-conflict situation - this is the period when the conflicting parties assess their resources, forces and consolidate into opposing groups. At the same stage, each side forms its own strategy of behavior and chooses a method of influencing the enemy.

Directly conflict - it is an active part of the conflict, characterized by the presence of an incident, i.e. social actions aimed at changing the opponent's command. The actions themselves are of two types:

actions of rivals that are open in nature (verbal debate, physical pressure, economic sanctions, etc.);
hidden actions of opponents (associated with the desire to deceive, confuse the opponent, impose an unfavorable course of action on him).

The main course of action for latent internal conflict is reflective control, meaning that one of the rivals, through "deceptive movements", tries to force the other person to act this way. how beneficial it is to him.

Conflict resolution it is possible only when the conflict situation is eliminated, and not only when the incident is exhausted. The resolution of the conflict can also occur as a result of the depletion of the resources of the parties or the intervention of a third party, creating an advantage for one of the parties, and, finally, as a result of the complete exhaustion of the opponent.

To successfully resolve the conflict, the following conditions are required:

timely determination of the causes of the conflict;
definition business conflict zone - reasons, contradictions, interests, goals of the conflicting parties:
mutual desire of the parties to overcome contradictions;
joint search for ways to overcome the conflict.

There are various conflict resolution methods:

avoiding conflict - leaving the “scene” of conflict interaction physically or psychologically, but the conflict itself is not eliminated in this case, since the reason that gave rise to it remains;
negotiations - allow avoiding the use of violence, achieving mutual understanding and finding a way to cooperation;
use of intermediaries - conciliatory procedure. An experienced mediator, which can be an organization and an individual, will help to quickly resolve the conflict there. where without his participation it would be impossible;
postponing - in fact, this is the surrender of its position, but only temporary, since as the forces accumulate, the side will most likely try to return what was lost;
arbitration or arbitration, - a method in which the norms of laws and law are strictly followed.

The consequences of the conflict can be:

1. positive:

resolution of accumulated contradictions;
stimulation of the process of social change;
rapprochement of conflicting groups;
strengthening the cohesion of each of the rival camps;

2. negative:

tension;
destabilization;
disintegration.

Conflict resolution can be:

complete - the conflict ends completely;
partial - the conflict changes the external form, but retains motivation.

Of course, it is difficult to foresee all the variety of conflict situations that life creates for us. Therefore, in resolving conflicts, much should be resolved on the spot, based on the specific situation, as well as the individual psychological characteristics of the participants in the conflict.

For the first time, Adam Smith pointed to conflict as a social problem. He believed that the causes of social conflicts are associated with the contradiction of class interests and economic struggles.

There are several ways to resolve conflicts. They are characterized by the behavior of the participants.

The parties can choose one of the following tactics:

Evasion. The participant does not want to conflict and is eliminated.
The device. The parties are ready to cooperate, but respect their own interests.
Confrontation. Each of the participants strives to achieve their goals, without taking into account the interests of the other side.
Cooperation. Participants are ready to find a solution in a team.
Compromise. It implies concessions of the parties to each other.

The result of the conflict is a complete or partial solution. In the first case, the causes are completely eliminated, in the second, some of the problems may appear later.

Social conflict: types and causes

There are different types of disputes and types of causes of social conflict. Let's consider which classifiers are the most common.

Types of social conflicts

There are many types of social conflicts, which are determined by:

the duration and nature of the occurrence - temporary, long-term, accidental and specially organized;
scale - global (world), local (in a specific part of the world), regional (between neighboring countries), group, personal (for example, family disputes);
goals and methods of resolution - a fight, a scandal with obscene language, cultural conversation;
the number of participants - personal (in mentally ill people), interpersonal, intergroup;
direction - arise between people of the same social level or different.

This is not an exhaustive list. There are other classifications as well. The first three types of social conflicts are key.

Causes of social conflicts

In general, objective circumstances are always the cause of social conflict. They can be explicit or hidden. Most often, the prerequisites lie in social inequality and differences in value orientations.

Main reasons for disputes:

Ideological. Differences in the system of ideas and values \u200b\u200bthat determine subordination and domination.
Differences in values. The set of values \u200b\u200bcan be the opposite of the set of another participant.
Social and economic reasons. Are related to the distribution of wealth and power.

The third group of reasons is the most common. In addition, differences in the assigned tasks, rivalry, innovations, etc. can become the grounds for the development of a conflict.

Examples of

The most striking and famous example of global social conflict is The Second World War. Many countries participated in this conflict, and the events of those years left an imprint on the lives of most of the population.

An example of a conflict that arose due to a mismatch in value systems is student strike in France in 1968. This was the beginning of a series of uprisings involving workers, engineers and employees. The conflict was resolved in part thanks to the President's activities. Thus, the society was reformed and progressed.

Typology of conflicts

Factors of interethnic regional conflicts

Conditions and factors of social conflict

Conditions and factors of conflict

Sources of conflict

Causes of social conflict

Causes and sources of social conflict

Determinants and typology of social conflicts

Issues for discussion

1. What is conflict and what is its structure?

2. Which elements of the structure of the conflict are objective, which are subjective?

3. What are the main approaches to understanding the dynamics of conflict?

4. What is the essence of the latent period in the dynamics of the conflict?

5. Prove that conflict is a multidimensional dynamic phenomenon.

6. Draw graphically the structure of the conflict, the dynamics of the conflict.

In general philosophical terms, the concept "cause" means a phenomenon, the action of which causes or produces some other phenomenon, which is called a consequence. In society, as well as in nature, there is an infinite number of cause-and-effect relationships and dependencies. And conflicts here are no exception, they can also be generated by a variety of reasons: external and internal, universal and individual, material and ideal, objective and subjective, etc.

Causes of the conflict - these are problems, phenomena, events that precede the conflict and in certain situations that develop in the process of the subjects of social interaction, cause it.

It should also be noted that it is necessary to distinguish the cause of the conflict from its cause. The cause of the conflict serves as a phenomenon that contributes to its occurrence, but does not determine the appearance of a conflict with necessity. Unlike the cause, the reason arises by chance and can be created completely artificially, as they say, “from scratch”. The reason reflects the natural connection of things. So, the reason for a family conflict may be an undersalted (oversalted) dish, while the real reason may lie in the lack of love between the spouses.

Among the huge variety of causes of conflicts, general and specific causes can be distinguished. General groups of reasons:

1) socio-political and economic reasons associated with the socio-political and economic situation in the country;

2) socio-demographic reasons, reflecting differences in attitudes and motives of people, due to their gender, age, ethnicity, etc .;

3) socio-psychological reasons reflecting socio-psychological phenomena in social groups: relationships, leadership, group motives, collective opinions, moods, etc .;

4) individual psychological reasons, reflecting the individual psychological characteristics of a person: abilities, temperament, character, motives, etc.

Among most common reasons social conflicts can be distinguished:

Different or completely opposite people's perceptions of goals, values, interests and behavior;

Unequal position of people in imperatively coordinated associations (some rule, others obey);

Discord between expectations and actions of people;

Misunderstandings, logical errors and, in general, semantic difficulties in the process of communication;

Lack and poor quality of information;

Imperfection of the human psyche, the discrepancy between reality and ideas about it.

Private reasons directly related to the specifics of a particular type of conflict. For example, dissatisfaction with the conditions of labor relations, violation of official ethics, non-observance of labor laws, limited resources, differences in the goals and means of achieving them, etc.

Let us dwell on the causes of conflicts determined by the labor process. Indeed, for many work collectives, they are the leading source of conflict situations.

There are several ways or methods to determine the causes of conflicting behavior. As an example, consider one of them - conflict mapping method... Its essence lies in the graphic display of the components of the conflict, in the sequential analysis of the behavior of the participants in the conflict interaction, in the formulation of the main problem, the needs and fears of the participants, the ways to eliminate the causes that led to the conflict.

The work consists of several stages.

At the first stage, the problem is described in general terms. If, for example, we are talking about inconsistency in work, about the fact that someone does not "pull the strap" together with everyone, then the problem can be displayed as "load distribution". If the conflict has arisen due to the lack of trust between the individual and the group, then the problem can be expressed as "communication". At this stage, it is important to determine the very nature of the conflict, and it does not matter yet that this does not fully reflect the essence of the problem. The problem should not be defined in the form of a double choice of opposites "yes or no"; it is advisable to leave the possibility of finding new and original solutions.

At the second stage, the main participants in the conflict are identified. You can enter individuals or entire teams, departments, groups, organizations into the list. To the extent that the people involved in the conflict have common needs in relation to the conflict, they can be brought together. A combination of group and personal categories is also allowed.

For example, if a conflict map is drawn up between two employees in an organization, then these employees can be included in the map, and the remaining specialists can be combined into one group, or the head of this department can also be selected separately.

The third stage involves listing the basic needs and concerns associated with them, all the main participants in the conflict interaction. It is necessary to find out the motives behind the positions of the participants in this matter. The actions of people and their attitudes are determined by their desires, needs, motives that need to be established.

The term "fears" means anxiety, anxiety of the individual when it is impossible to realize some of his needs. In this case, one should not discuss with the parties to the conflict how justified their fears and concerns are, until they are included in the map. For example, one of the parties to the conflict has a fear about something that seems unlikely when making a map. At the same time, there is a fear and it must be included in the map, to recognize its existence. The advantage of the method of cartography is that it is possible to speak out in the process of drawing up a map and reflecting irrational fears on it. Fears can include the following positions: failure and humiliation, fear of failing, financial ruin, the possibility of rejection, loss of control over the situation, loneliness, the likelihood of criticism or condemnation, job loss, low wages, fear of being commanded that everything will have to start over. Using the concept of "fear", it is possible to identify motives that are not named aloud by the parties to the conflict. For example, it’s easier for some people to say they hate disrespect than to admit that they need respect.

As a result of drawing up the map, the points of coincidence of the interests of the conflicting parties are clarified, the fears and fears of each of the parties are more clearly manifested, and possible ways out of the current situation are determined.

test work in the discipline "Sociology"

on the topic "Social conflicts, their causes, types and role in public life"

Introduction _________________________________________________________3

1. The concept of social conflict ___________________________________4

2. Causes of social conflicts __________________________________ 5

3. Types of social conflicts _____________________________________ 8

4. The role of social conflicts in public life _________________9

Conclusion ______________________________________________________ 11

List of used literature _________________________________12

Introduction

Social heterogeneity of society, differences in income levels, power, prestige, etc. often lead to conflicts. Conflicts are an integral part of social life. The modern life of Russian society is especially rich in conflicts.

Social conflicts in modern Russian society are organically linked to its transitional state and contradictions that underlie conflicts. Some of them have their roots in the past, but they get their main exacerbation in the process of transition to market relations.

The emergence of new social groups of entrepreneurs and owners, growing inequality, become the basis for the emergence of new conflicts. A social contradiction is forming in society between the elite, representing various groups of new owners, and a huge mass of people who have been removed from property and from power.

Social conflicts in modern Russia are particularly acute and frequent use of violence. On the basis of the deepening of the crisis state of society, leading to clashes of various forces and communities, social contradictions are aggravated and social conflicts become their result.

Conflicts are formed in various spheres of society and are usually referred to as political, socio-economic, spiritual, national, etc. All of them belong to the category of social conflict, which is understood as any kind of struggle and confrontation between communities and social forces.

Social conflict concept

Conflict - this is a clash of opposing goals, positions, views of the subjects of interaction. At the same time, the conflict is the most important aspect of the interaction of people in society, a kind of cell of social life. It is a form of relationship between potential or actual subjects of social action, the motivation of which is due to opposing values \u200b\u200band norms, interests and needs.

An essential aspect of social conflict is that these subjects act within the framework of a broader system of connections, which is modified (strengthened or destroyed) under the influence of the conflict.

The conflict is associated with people's awareness of the contradictions of their interests (as members of certain social groups) with the interests of other subjects. Heightened contradictions give rise to open or closed conflicts.

The sociology of conflict proceeds from the fact that conflict is a normal phenomenon of social life, and the identification and development of conflict as a whole is a useful and necessary matter. Society, power structures and individual citizens will achieve more effective results in their actions if they follow certain rules aimed at resolving the conflict. Thus, under social conflict in modern sociology, any kind of struggle between individuals is understood, the purpose of which is to achieve or preserve the means of production, economic position, power or other values \u200b\u200bthat enjoy public recognition, as well as the conquest, neutralization or elimination of a real or imaginary enemy.

Causes of social conflicts

In the development of the conflict, in its transition to the stage of extreme aggravation, much depends on how the very initial, initial events leading to the development of the conflict are perceived, what importance is attached to the conflict in the mass consciousness and in the minds of the leaders of the corresponding social groups. To understand the nature of the conflict and the nature of its development, the "Thomas theorem" is of particular importance, which says: "If people perceive a certain situation as real, then it will be real in its consequences." With regard to a conflict, this means that if there is a mismatch of interests between people or groups, but this mismatch is not perceived, felt or felt by them, then such a mismatch of interests does not lead to a conflict. And vice versa, if there is a community of interests between people, but the participants themselves feel hostility towards each other, then the relationship between them will necessarily develop according to the scheme of conflict, and not cooperation.

When considering the reasons for this or that conflict, it must be borne in mind that any conflict is somehow personified. Each of the parties to the conflict has its own leaders, leaders, leaders, ideologists who voice and broadcast the views of their group, formulate "their" positions and represent them as the interests of their group. At the same time, it is often difficult to figure out whether this or that leader is being put forward by the current conflict situation or whether he himself will create this situation, since he, thanks to a certain type of behavior, takes the position of a leader, leader, “spokesman for the interests” of the people, ethnic group, class, social stratum, political party, etc. In any case, in any conflict, the personality traits of leaders play an exceptional role. In each specific situation, they can conduct business to exacerbate the conflict or find means to resolve it.

World experience allows us to single out some of the most characteristic sources on the basis of which the causes of conflicts are formed: wealth, power, prestige and dignity, that is, those values \u200b\u200band interests that are significant in any society and give meaning to the actions of specific persons participating in conflicts.

Each of the parties perceives the conflict situation in the form of some problem, in the resolution of which three main points are of predominant importance:

First, the degree of significance of a wider system of ties, advantages and losses arising from the previous state and its destabilization - all this can be designated as an assessment of the pre-conflict situation;

· Secondly, the degree of awareness of their own interests and the willingness to take risks for the sake of their implementation;

· Thirdly, the perception of each other by the opposing parties, the ability to take into account the interests of the opponent.

The usual development of a conflict assumes that each side is able to take into account the interests of the opposing side. This approach creates the possibility of a relatively peaceful deployment of the conflict with the help of the negotiation process and making adjustments to the previous system of relations in the direction and scale acceptable to each of the parties.

· During negotiations, priority should be given to discussing substantive issues;

· The parties should strive to relieve psychological and social tension;

· The parties must demonstrate mutual respect for each other;

· Negotiators should strive to turn a significant and hidden part of the conflict situation into an open one, openly and demonstratively disclosing each other's positions and deliberately creating an atmosphere of public equal exchange of views;

· All negotiators must show a willingness to compromise.

Types of social conflicts

Political conflicts - these are conflicts, the cause of which is the struggle for the distribution of power, domination, influence and authority. They arise from various interests, rivalry and struggle in the process of acquiring, distributing and realizing political and state power. Political conflicts are directly related to gaining leading positions in institutions and structures of political power.

The main types of political conflicts:

· Conflict between the branches of government;

· Conflict within parliament;

· Conflict between political parties and movements;

· Conflict between different parts of the management apparatus.

Socio-economic conflicts - these are conflicts caused by the means of subsistence, use and redistribution of natural and other material resources, the level of wages, the use of professional and intellectual potential, the level of prices for goods and services, access and distribution of spiritual benefits.

National and ethnic conflicts - these are conflicts that arise in the course of the struggle for the rights and interests of ethnic and national groups.

According to the classification of typology D. Katz distinguishes:

· Conflict between indirectly competing subgroups;

· Conflict between directly competing subgroups;

· Conflict within the hierarchy over reward.

The role of social conflicts in public life

In modern conditions, in essence, each sphere of social life gives rise to its own specific types of social conflicts. Therefore, we can talk about political, national-ethnic, economic, cultural and other types of conflicts. Political conflict - This is a conflict over the distribution of power, domination, influence, authority. This conflict can be hidden or open. One of the most striking forms of its manifestation in modern Russia is the conflict between the executive and legislative branches of the country that lasted throughout the entire time after the collapse of the USSR. The objective causes of the conflict have not been eliminated, and it has passed to a new stage of its development. From now on, it is being implemented in new forms of confrontation between the President and the Federal Assembly, as well as the executive and legislative powers in the regions. A prominent place in modern life is occupied by national-ethnic conflicts - conflicts based on the struggle for the rights and interests of ethnic and national groups. Most often these are conflicts associated with status or territorial claims. Also, a significant role is played by the problem of cultural self-determination of certain national communities. An important role in modern life in Russia is played by socio-economic conflicts, that is, conflicts over the means of subsistence, the level of wages, the use of professional and intellectual potential, the level of prices for various goods, over the real access to these benefits and other resources. Social conflicts in various spheres of public life can take the form of intra-institutional and organizational norms and procedures: discussions, inquiries, adoption of declarations, laws, etc. The most vivid form of expression of the conflict is various kinds of mass actions. These massive actions are implemented in the form of making demands on the authorities by dissatisfied social groups, in mobilizing public opinion in support of their demands or alternative programs, in direct actions of social protest. Mass protest Is an active form of conflict behavior. It can be expressed in various forms: organized and spontaneous, direct or indirect, taking on the character of violence or a system of nonviolent action. The organizers of the mass protests are political organizations and the so-called "pressure groups" that unite people for economic goals, professional, religious and cultural interests. The forms of expression of mass protests can be such as: rallies, demonstrations, picketing, civil disobedience campaigns, strikes. Each of these forms is used for specific purposes, is an effective means of solving very specific problems. Therefore, when choosing a form of social protest, its organizers must clearly understand what specific goals are set for this action and what public support for certain demands is.

Conclusion

Summing up social conflicts, it can be argued that the existence of a society without conflicts is impossible. It is impossible to categorically call the conflict a manifestation of dysfunction of organizations, deviating behavior of individuals and groups, a phenomenon of public life, most likely conflict is a necessary form of social interaction between people. Due to the fact that social conflict is a multifaceted phenomenon, in the work it is presented from different angles of viewing this problem. The main aspects of social conflicts are highlighted and their characteristics are given according to the main components. So this work reveals the concept, causes, types and role of social conflicts.

There are effective ways to resolve conflicts caused by differences in views, attitudes, mismatched goals and actions. They strengthen relationships and are therefore extremely valuable. Successful resolution of conflicts together can bring people closer together than many years spent exchanging pleasantries.

List of used literature

1. Druzhinin VV, Kontorov DS, Kontorov MD Introduction to the theory of conflict. - M .: Radio and Communication, 2001.

2. Zborovsky GE General sociology: Textbook. - M .: Gardariki, 2004.

3. Radugin AA, Radugin KA Sociology: A course of lectures. - M .: Center, 2002.