ABSTRACT
Confl icts are a normal and natural part of the human experience as we strive for balance in our world. There is diversity in confl ict just as there is diversity in confl ict resolution. We must be creative in looking for innovative resolutions to different problems, as it is our response to confl ict that makes it positive or negative. Statistics tell us that the amount of human displacement, corruption, war, and other symptoms of violence has been fairly stable in human history, including up to the present day. What has changed recently is our understanding of the toll that unhealthy confl ict has on our world. For possibly the fi rst time in history, our world is at a stage where it has the tools, be that through interpersonal or international efforts, to change our negative responses to confl ict. Learning from the ways other cultures understand and resolve confl icts is an important part of maintaining healthy relationships in our increasingly interactive world. Only with a substantial understanding of cultural dimensions in confl ict resolution will it be possible to navigate through the muddy waters of confl ict and communication strategies.
