Assignment Code: MGPE-010/ASST/TMA/2022-23

Course Code: MGPE-010

Assignment Name: Conflict Management, Transformation and Peace Building

Year: 2022-2023

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

Answer five questions in all, selecting at least two questions from each section. Each question is to be answered in about 500 words. Each question carries 20 marks.

Section-I

Q1) Why is the abolition of untouchability a major goal for Gandhi? What were some of the steps he undertook for the removable of untouchability?

Ans) Gandhi believed that the practise of untouchability was not only morally repugnant and had no place in civilised society, but also a "sin against God and man" and a very immoral conduct. While reformers like Dayanand Saraswati, Vivekananda, and Jyotiba Phule had fought against untouchability, Gandhi made the fight against it an integral element of the freedom struggle. As a result, the elimination of untouchability was listed as one of the fundamental requirements for achieving Swaraj at the time the Non-Cooperation movement was founded.

Gandhi referred to himself as a "Sanatani Hindu," which means that he adhered to Hindu literature such as the Vedas, Upanishads, and Puranas but did not hold traditional religious views. For him, "truth" was the pinnacle of religion, and truth, in a relative sense, stood for one's "inner voice" or "voice of conscience." Gandhi thus disapproved of everything he deemed immoral and contrary to the truth. Instead of a set of doctrines or practises, religion for him was a question of praxis or a way of life. He was certain that religion should not be separated from morality and the truth. He consistently put the Bible to the test using logic and truth.

In light of this, we may comprehend his rejection of untouchability while still respecting his commitment to Varnashrama dharma. Gandhi said that Varnashrama was nothing more than the acknowledged scientific principle known as the "law of heredity" in Hinduism. Therefore, he declared, "Disregarding one's varna means disregarding the rule of heredity." Gandhi, however, was opposed to the idea of being divided into many castes or jatis, the concept of high and low or superior and inferior, and the idea of touch pollution. Varna division did not specify privileges, but it did connect to the division of labour by defining obligations.

Gandhi clearly believed that all varnas were equal, as a result. Gandhi also placed a high importance on the dignity of labour, which he showed by personal example. No work, in his eyes, was "polluting." All of the 1915-founded Sabarmati Ashram's members were required to clean the restrooms by hand. The entire foundation of untouchability was eliminated with the rejection of the concepts of social hierarchy and pollution. Because it contradicted the varna hypothesis, he rejected the idea that untouchables belonged to a "fifth caste," or panchamas. Untouchability, in his opinion, is "a blemish on Hinduism" and an "excrescence."

The critique of untouchability reveals the breadth of Gandhi's idea of imaginative social change. Gandhi's condemnation of untouchability was fundamentally different from Ambedkar's in two ways. One, he refused to detach untouchables from Hinduism because he did not repudiate varnashrama dharma, which Ambedkar believed to be the true cause of untouchability. He went on a death-defying fast in protest of Ramsay Macdonald's 1932 Communal Award, which recognised separate electorates for Scheduled Castes.

Second, Gandhi believed that caste Hindus needed to change their mentality in order to change, in contrast to Ambedkar who saw caste Hindus as hostile to the underclass and supported social struggle on their behalf. For this reason, he referred to untouchables as Harijans and began his Harijan campaign in the 1930s to promote Harijan recognition as equal Hindus and legitimate members of society.

Q2) Discuss the non-violent approach to conflict transformation.

Ans) Developing a social framework that governs disagreements in a way that does not resort to violence is necessary, according to the methods of nonviolence, in order to bring about peace. Alfred Fried conceived of the idea of causal pacifism in 1918 with the primary intention of establishing "a new world order" or a new kind of global administration. This was the driving force behind the development of this philosophical position.

According to Fried, the primary focus of this goal is not the elimination of conflict but rather the transformation of existing conflicts. This requires shaping international relations in a way that will endow disputes with a character that will free them from violence and make them acceptable for control through legal means. This will be accomplished by shaping international relations. No of the setting be it an individual one, an organisational one, a social one, a national one, or an international one nonviolent tactics work to combat violent behaviour and injustice.

In this context, in order to combat injustice and violence, an active opposition that abstains from employing violence as a tactic is required. This indicates that nonviolence is a stance that is taken in all aspects of life, including the activities that one participates in and the way that one lives their life. It is more than just a political worldview. Gandhi was a prominent advocate and practitioner of this tactic throughout his life. The tenets of nonviolent approaches include making them participative, having them be participatory, and having them be anchored in experience.

These approaches centre their attention on both attitudes and behaviours in order to investigate the connection that exists between the two. Again, a project of this nature will experience both success and failure, so a straight schedule is not appropriate. The TRANSCEND method of Johan Galtung is also non-violent in nature. He thinks that poorly handled conflicts lead to a lot of bloodshed. Contradiction is the primary cause of conflict; attitudes and behaviour enter later and form a triangle. The triangle's three corners interact and excite one another. The four activity pillars of action that make up the TRANSCEND strategy are focused on the transformation of peaceful conflict.

The mission statement of TRANSCEND is "peace through peaceful means," according to a 2002 article by Johan Galtung et al. in Searching for Peace: The Road to TRANSCEND. They go on to explain:

1. By peace, we mean the capacity to resolve disputes amicably and without resorting to force, a never-ending process.

2. By converting disputes, we mean assisting in creating a climate in which the parties may go forward in a participatory, amicable, and lasting way.

3. By using conflict energy constructively, we mean finding new, creative methods to meet everyone's fundamental needs.

Without using violence, we indicate that the following should be avoided:

1. Any form of direct violence threat or use that is hurtful or harmful.

2. Any institutional violence employed that renders the participants immobile.

Q3) Examine the concept of conflict management in a cultural context.

Ans) Successful conflict resolution typically requires increasing communication among disputants, problem-solving, and creating agreements that address their underlying needs in Western cultural contexts like Canada and the United States. Conflict-solvers frequently discuss achieving a win-win solution, or a scenario that is mutually satisfying for all parties, in these circumstances. Finding "win-win" solutions is crucial in many non-Western cultural contexts, including Afghanistan, Vietnam, and China; nevertheless, the means of doing so might vary greatly.

Direct communication between disputants that specifically targets the points at issue in the conflict might be interpreted in these situations as being extremely harsh, which can exacerbate the conflict and postpone management. Instead, including religious, tribal, or communal leaders, speaking indirectly through a third party, and making recommendations through storytelling can all make sense. Because the disputants' expectations can differ greatly and there are many opportunities for miscommunication, intercultural conflicts are frequently the most challenging to resolve.

An explicit and implicit critique of the traditional, limited definition of conflict management can be found in efforts to generate alternative and additional ideas. In actuality, the tendency involves putting out fresh theories and angles for looking at conflict. An entire idea is reflected in the prior, constrained concept of conflict management. As a result, a new theory is formed using an alternate concept.

Exaggerated Realism: According to the notion of conflict management, disputes cannot be resolved, are exceedingly difficult to resolve, or are only occasionally resolved. As a result, the only options for preventing more violence are containment and suspension. Many researchers are not satisfied with this approach, and they believe that such a negative viewpoint is overstated.

Unrealistic: The conflict management theory is impractical, according to detractors, because it makes the assumption that confrontations can be contained and postponed. But in many instances, it seems like there are unresolved issues and worries lurking beneath the surface, ready to spark a new round of fighting at any time.

The Lack of Analysis: Works categorised as conflict management research, theory, and manuals glaringly lack analysis. In his exposition of the idea of conflict management a phrase he uses to incorporate conflict management Alan C. Tidwell conveys this viewpoint. The conflict management literature primarily concentrates on "how to do it," with little focus on situational and contextual factors. However, a more nuanced and experienced approach to conflict management necessitates a closer look at these ideas and circumstances.

The Problem of Integration: A harsh critique is the claim that there was insufficient analysis. Despite the fact that this viewpoint is supported by real-world instances, it is crucial to note that separation issues also exist in other situations. This indicates that an analysis can be performed, typically using empirical inductive approaches, but without relating it to conflict resolution strategies or using a theoretical framework. It is criticised as a conspiracy of strong nations who profit from the current balance of power to prevent the rise of any new regional or global power as a rival.

Section-II

Write a short note on each part of the question in about 250 words:

Q1) (a) India’s Role in Afghan Reconstruction

Ans) India has been actively participating in the reconstruction since 2002, and there is a widespread consensus that an Afghanistan that is secure and peaceful is essential for maintaining regional stability. It has so far committed to providing aid totalling around $1.3 billion, with projects encompassing the entire nation and focusing mostly on developing roads, power transmission lines, hydroelectricity, agricultural infrastructure, telecommunications, education, health, and capacity.

These projects' specifics can be divided into four categories:

Infrastructure Projects

The development of the 218 km Zaranj-Delaram road project in southwest Afghanistan is one of the significant infrastructure projects India has finished. For India, this route is strategically important since it will make it easier to transport products and people from Afghanistan to the Iranian border and then on to the Chahbahar Port. Due to militant attacks, 179 Afghans and 6 Indians died while building was underway. This $120 million line, which was constructed to provide a nearly nonstop power delivery from the northern grid to Kabul City.

Humanitarian Assistance

Under the School Feeding Program, the Indian government gives 100 grammes of fortified, high-protein biscuits to almost 1.2 million kids every day. When finished in 2012, this programme will cost $ 460 million and be run by the World Food Program.

Education and Capacity Development

India is contributing significantly to this field by offering 675 long-term university scholarships per year. The Indian Council for Cultural Relations sponsors several grants for undergraduate and graduate study in India.

Positive Impact

The Afghan public appears to have a fairly favourable opinion of Indian involvement there. Numerous opinion surveys have highlighted this phenomenon. According to the most recent national poll, which was conducted in December 2009 by the BBC, ABC News, and German news agency ARD, 71% of Afghans had a favourable opinion of India.

Q1) (b) Gandhian Critics of Modern Civilization

Ans) Gandhi was one of the few international leaders who gave serious thought to the issues confronting human civilization and solutions to them. Edward Carpenter, John Ruskin, Thomas Carlyle, Henry David Thoreau, and Leo Tolstoy were among the thinkers whose works he had studied extensively. These philosophers critiqued contemporary western culture and its materialistic accomplishments, which disguised underlying social and moral issues, in a variety of ways. The moral principles contained in other religious traditions, such as Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Jainism, and other traditions, also had a profound impact on Gandhi.

Gandhi became even more disillusioned after experiencing colonial tyranny in South Africa, which inspired him to formulate a comprehensive criticism of modern civilization as it had emerged in the west. In 1909, he released this as a pamphlet titled Hind Swaraj. Gandhi maintained his position on the ideas he had put forth in Hind Swaraj, which is the most comprehensive statement of Gandhi's worldview. Gandhi believed that the fundamental issue with modern civilization was the overemphasis placed on enhancing people's bodily comforts through the manufacture of goods and services as opposed to assuring their genuine physical, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Gandhi's criticism of Western civilization went beyond mere philosophy or abstraction. Gandhi's criticism of Western civilization also had something to do with the effects of British colonial authority on India. Gandhi argued that the East India Company's propensity to exploit Indians through trade and profit rather than physical force was what ultimately led to the conquest of India. Gandhi was not, then, criticising modern civilization as a statement against progress; rather, he was opposing the cruelty and greed that were the driving forces behind colonialism, which had no moral basis. The British were exploiting India throughout colonialism, forsaking all moral precepts, which was the worst feature of modern civilization.

Q2) (a) The Champaran Satyagraha

Ans) Gandhi returned to India in 1915, but it took him some time to adjust. Gandhi's first movement after his return from South Africa was the Champaran Satyagraha, which was followed by the Kheda Satyagraha in 1918. In North Bihar's Champaran district, the white indigo planters were being protested by the locals. The planters had long been the target of agitation and unrest in Champaran. Many European planters had moved in Champaran, where they had been growing indigo for more than a century.

In the Champaran district, the planters-built factories near indigo farms. The Champaran neighbourhood included a sizable portion of the Bettiah Estate. For the benefit of the British Raj, the planters used to generate land revenue from the majority of the villages on the Bettiah Estate. When the British Raj needed money desperately, they once assisted them in obtaining loans in England. In exchange, the British Raj mortgaged to the planters the majority of the villages it controlled. However, they were required to pay a set amount of revenue to the British Raj. The planters had gained the mokarri rights for several villages, allowing them to raise any amount of money from them.

The result was an increase in the planters' income. The planters were required to pay the Raj a set rent for a set number of years in non-mokarri right villages while keeping the remainder for themselves. Early in the nineteenth century, European colonists compelled Champaran farmers to grow indigo on one-fourth or three-quarters of their land. Panch kathia or teen kathia system were the names of this system. The best area of the cultivators' land had to be redirected to indigo farming. People who disobeyed the teen kathia system were harassed and subjected to atrocities, including having their crops destroyed, their homes pillaged, and cattle released on their land. They were also dragged into fabricated cases, made to pay fines, and the most obstinate ones were even physically assaulted.

Q2) (b) Idea of Trusteeship as expounded by Gandhi

Ans) Gandhi provided the following explanation of the trusteeship notion in Harijan, which was published on June 3, 1939:

"Let's say I have accumulated a respectable amount of wealth, either via inheritance or through commerce and industry. I must understand that all of that riches is not mine; rather, what is mine is the right to an honourable livelihood, no superior to that which is enjoyed by millions of others. The community is the rightful owner of the remainder of my money, which must be spent for its benefit.

Accordingly, the term "trusteeship" implied that "everyone would retain whatever assets they held in trust for the good of society." Laborers, on the other hand, gave their labour to anyone who needed it, while the wealthy used their income to benefit everyone who worked for them. According to the Gandhian philosophy, no one should live an opulent lifestyle and should just acquire what is necessary for a straightforward, comfortable existence. Gandhi also emphasised that trusteeship was more of a conviction than anything that could be coerced, and that it was worthwhile even if only one person accepted the strategy.

From that point on, he stated the following in Harijan on June 3, 1939:

It is irrelevant to ask how many real trustees can exist under this notion. Whether many people or just one man lives up to the theory is irrelevant if it is correct. The issue is one of conviction.

Gandhi wanted to spread the spirit of aparigraha, or non-possession, by introducing the trusteeship principle.