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The Bielefeld Institute for Global Society Studies organises a workshop
on 'Contradiction! Territorial Conflicts in World Society'. The
workshop will be held on 4 and 5 December 2003.
The workshop is based on the observation
that the application of concepts from Modern Systems Theory to the
study of international territorial conflicts has so far remained
underdeveloped. This holds particularly true if we look beyond the
confines set by German-language contributions. Yet, this assessment
about the relationship between Modern Systems Theory and research
on international conflicts does also come at a surprise. For in
many sociologically inspired studies, the significance of a systems
theoretical approach for conflict analysis has convincingly been
elaborated. A first and crucial starting point is, thereby, provided
for by Niklas Luhmann's study on 'Contradiction and Conflict' in
his seminal work on Social Systems (Chapter 9). This and other studies
have sketched out parameters for a systems theoretical conflict
analysis and these parameters could also be useful for understanding
international conflicts. At the heart of a systems theoretical conflict
theory lies the understanding that conflicts constitute complex
social systems at their own right. Conflict systems operate according
to specific systemic regularities (medium, communication codes etc.)
and are operationally distinct from their environment. Moreover,
conflict systems serve, by pointing to possible contradictions,
a specific function in society, i.e. vis-à-vis other social
systems. In Luhmann's terminology, conflict systems are accordingly
understood as parasitic system that work as an immune system for
other social systems and society at large. According to a systems
theoretical perspective, conflict systems emerge whenever a communication-offer
is rejected. Conflicts are thus ubiquitous. However, most social
conflicts have a tendency for entropy and disappear quickly. Only
few conflicts stabilise and develop into solid conflict systems.
Once they have reached this stage, however, conflict systems tend
to overarch rather than co-exist alongside other social systems.
By applying such a reasoning to the
study of international territorial conflicts, the workshop explores
the question if and to what extent insights from a systems theoretical
approach can also fruitfully be introduced to the study of these
kinds of conflicts. The workshop addresses researchers from a wide
range of academic disciplines and theoretical approaches. Naturally,
it primarily relates to those researchers in the fields of International
Relations (Political Science), Sociology and Geography which have
previously dealt with territorial conflicts both from an empirical
and from a theoretical perspective. It must be emphasised that the
workshop aims to encourage a critical debate on the pros and cons
of a systems theoretical conflict theory. Thus, we welcome both
contributions based on a systems theoretical approach as well as
those which offer - in relation to systems theory - alternative
theoretical approaches. The workshops allows for contributions in
four thematic areas.
Firstly, the workshop starts up with
the basic question why a systems theoretical conflict theory could
be well suited for the study of international territorial conflicts.
For example, what is the value-added of applying systems theoretical
terminology (e.g. meaning, double contingency, system/environment,
code, function, self-referential operations, communication, distinction)
for understanding territorial conflicts? How could the concept of
'World Society' be usefully related to the study of primarily territorially
differentiated conflicts? Moreover, what kind of difficulties might
a system theoretical analysis of such conflicts encounter? How do
other kinds of conflict theories relate to the conflict theory proposed
by Systems Theory? Are there overlaps to the bulk of non-systems
theoretical conflict theories or do significant epistemological
differences prevail? (Panel I)
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The workshop is, secondly, inquiring
into the role of specific actors and how their role can be conceptualised
in a systems theoretical context. It takes two to tango … and
two to tangle. Therefore, all social conflicts require the existence
of at least two conflict parties. Linked to the study of territorial
conflicts we can, therefore, ask several questions. How do those
conflict parties, which engage in a territorial dispute, become
actually constituted? To what kind of conflict themes are conflict
communication codes linked? What role does 'identity' have in the
context of the constitution of conflict parties? Which role do external
actors (third parties, mediators) take on in relation to the 'conflict
system'? Finally, what does a systems theoretical conflict theory
has to say about the ubiquitous presence of 'agency' in international
conflict studies? (Panel II)
In a third step, it is then asked which
meaning territorial conflicts actually have in world society. The
often violent way in which territorial conflicts appear, provokes
a normatively inspired opposition to conflicts. Along the same lines
of argument, territorial conflicts are also often regarded as archaic
remnants of an ethno-centric era. At this stage, however, some critical
questions about such conceptualisations can be formulated. Which
function do (territorial) conflicts actually have in world society?
How are they related to systems theoretical concepts of 'inclusion'
and 'exclusion'? Are conflicts, as Luhmann pertains, as parasitic
systems a sort of immune system for society? Against this background,
do conflicts generally have to be normatively rejected? How could
in such a theoretically inspired context 'conflict resolution' look
like? How can phenomena such as 'consensus', 'norms' and 'morality'
be conceptualised? (Panel III)
In a final step the workshop investigates
the question how a systems theoretical approach can be made fruitful
for the empirical study of specific territorial / border conflicts.
For that purpose contributions are welcome that deal with both specific
border conflicts and comparative studies on several conflicts. What
kind of methodological questions have to be considered when applying
Systems Theory to the empirical study of specific conflicts? What
concrete insights into conflicts do such studies offer? How do these
empirical results relate to those derived from the application of
other theoretical models? (Panel IV)
We invite all interested researchers
to apply for participation at the workshop. Please send by email
a short abstract of your proposed paper (approximately 500 words)
together with an indication of the panel, in which you want to present,
until latest 15 September 2003 to the address set out below. We
expect to be able to cover part of the travel expenses as well as
accommodation for selected participants.
Please submit paper proposals to
Stephan Stetter
Bielefeld Institute for Global Society Studies
Faculty of Sociology
University of Bielefeld
Mail: stephan.stetter@uni-bielefeld.de
see also http://www.uni-bielefeld.de/soz/iw/index.html
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