Overview
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Why are conflicts “intractable” or resistant to
resolution?
What do we mean by “frames” and “framing” of
conflicts?
How does the framing of the conflict affect
intractability?
How can understanding framing help you the address
conflicts in your work?
Characteristics of
Intractable Conflicts
Two key characteristics:
 Long term
 Elude resolution
Additionally they are often:
 Highly polarized
 Value-based
 Dispute resolution efforts tried and failed
 Sometimes involve complex array of stakeholders
 Rekindled by political shifts
Frames & Framing
• Framing: Constructing and presenting
interpretations of our experience
• We impart meaning and significance to what is
framed by distinguishing it from what is not framed.
• By framing we locate ourselves in the experience and
• We attribute responsibility (blame) for what occurs
How Frames Affect Conflicts
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Determine how people define issues
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Affect the risks they perceive as real and info they
believe is relevant
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Influence preferences for dispute resolution process
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Shape parties’ views of themselves and others
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Influence solutions they deem acceptable
Examples of Frame Conflicts
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Opposition to nuclear waste disposal by African American
communities—framed as “environmental justice” issues
(Bullard & Wright, 1989)
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In Western water disputes: State law frames conflict in
terms of rights; tribal law frames it in terms of sovereignty
(Folk-Williams, 1988)
Types of Frames
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Whole Story
Identity
Characterization
Conflict Management
Views of Nature
Views of Social Control
Power
Loss/Gain
Ethics
Risk
Whole Story Frames
 Sum up the essence of the conflict in a few
sentences
 Shorthand for what the dispute is about
Identity Frames
One key factor underlying what frames we use is our
identity
Identity = “Who am I”
Our identities:
 Give us a sense of belonging
 Are closely aligned with values
 Give meaning to our lives
 Help us determine what actions to take
Characterization Frames
Characterizations = pointed descriptions of others
He’s
stupid!
They can be [+] [-] or neutral.
Negative characterizations often = stereotypes
Conflict Management Frames
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Collaborative
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joint problem solving
fact finding
authority decides based on expertise
authority decides after consultation
Non-collaborative
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Avoidance
Adjudication
Appeal to political action
Appeal to market economy
Struggle, sabotage and violence
Adapted from Keltner (1994)
Views of Nature
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Use
Regenerativity
Protection
Power Frames
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Authority/Positional
Resources
Expertise
Personal
Coalitional/Relational
Sympathy/Vulnerability
Force/Threat
Legal/Legitimate
Moral/Righteous
Voice
Social Control Frames
Degree of Ownership
High
Low
Individualist
Fatalist
Low
Egalitarian
Hierarchist
Degree of Consensus
High
(Wildavsky & Dake, 1990)
Analyzing Conflicts via Frames
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Conflicts are usually analyzed using:
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issues
parties
history
interests/positions
process
Frames provide an enhanced approach to
understanding intractable conflicts
Suggests new basis of intervening in these
conflicts
Voyageurs National Park Case
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One of newest U.S. national parks--authorized in 1971-land acquisition began 1975
Located on Canadian border of Minnesota
Largely water--3 large & many small lakes and a
wooded peninsula
Key Issues in the conflict:
 Resentment over acquisition of personal property for the park
 Controversy over wilderness vs. recreational use
 Debate over local vs. federal control of the land/water
Intractability of the Conflict
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Longstanding conflict
--1891 Park originally proposed
--1964 Re-proposal by governor re-ignited conflict
-- 1975-1987 Protests, lawsuits over land acquisition
-- 1995 Attempt to decommission the park
Resistant to resolution efforts
-- 1996-7 Federally supported mediation ended w/no deal
-- 1998-2000 GMP challenged by local county
Frozen frames
-- Issues remain unchanged
-- Argued by same and different people
Key Issues in the Conflict
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Economic Issues:
--Local residents perceived land acquisition wasn’t fair
--Expected economic gain has not materialized
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Interests:
--Wise use proponents (prefer motorized uses, e.g.
snowmobiles, floatplanes) vs. wilderness protection
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Political Issues:
--Heavy involvement by local, state & national
politicians in park’s initiation and recent history
--Local politicians used leverage in D.C. to force
reexamination of park’s status in 1995
Whole Story Frames
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Fundamentally you have those who want to maintain the
park in its present condition with all motorized uses
allowed and those whose real agenda is to turn it into
Boundary Waters West.
The real conflict is about differences in philosophies, the
constant desire of the Park Service to manage all national
parks the same…they ought to be more creative and
sensitivity to the local culture and local needs.
So, I think some of the problems we have today relate to
what I would call arbitrary decision-making or arbitrary
implementation of rules by a park service who has been
less than considerate to the individual indigenous people’s
concerns…And that’s kind of a thumbnail sketch….
Identity Frames
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Frankly, people are upset because they feel like the Federal
government, in conjunction with those environmental communities,
are tying to take away the culture of the people here, much like
what happened to the Native American community. The government
destroyed their culture, and the people that live here, that grew up
here, immigrated here, have developed a culture here. Frankly, what
they (environmentalists) don’t understand is that every time they
push that agenda, they are taking away from the culture of the
people who live here.
[local park opponent]
Identity Frames
I believe very strongly in the national park system. One of my goals
is that I would like to achieve-- protection and conservation are a
very important part of our planet; and I believe that the people that
work at the park have that same kind of feeling that I do.
[Environmentalist]
The reason that I do that is there is an Endangered Species Act, and
the park has a responsibility and obligation to inventory, monitor, and
protect endangered species.
[Natural Resource Manager]
Characterization Frames
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A lot of people were under the impression that they had
to sell. And they used certain kind of pressure tactics on
the people. Especially like the old people. It was
Gestapo tactics.
I find that most of the stuff coming from the major
environmental organizations is so full of chicken little
hype, the “send us some money and we’ll save you” kind
of thing, that they are almost like a parallel to television
evangelists.
Freeze Framing
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Language used in interviews matches text of newspaper
articles from 20-30 yrs. ago
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Even characterization frames are frozen in time
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Some players have become mythologized
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Parties talk about the conflict continuing (or dissipating)
after current generation dies
Freeze Framing—“Freedom” & “Economy”
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Voyageurs National Park is “another example of expanding government
control, once again taking away the right and freedom of individuals to
truly make decisions regarding their lives and livelihoods in their own
backyards” (business person—1964)
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“make sure that peoples’ freedoms are protected and not stripped away
from them….” (park opponent—1998)
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“This is all part of the process of ‘incrementalism’ used by the
park service which will …slowly erode personal freedoms…Then
locals will be forced to move on due to…an economy that can’t
survive.” (Newspaper article, 2000)
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“damage the area’s economy and drive tourists to Canada and
curtail timber production” in the area (newpaper article, 1965)