Emotional Influences and Mediation Strategies in Religious Conflict Resolution: Insights from Pakistan – India Relations and Sunni – Shiite Interactions

Abstract

Conflicts involve opposition, disagreement or incompatibility; that adds to the intensity of belligerence to further complicate the process of management and resolution of the conflicts. In order to curtail the far-reaching effects of conflict, it is important for the conflicting parties to resolve their disputes in a peaceful manner. Mediation is considered to be one of the most effective conflict resolution strategies, which involves the intervention of a neutral third party into the dispute, with the purpose of providing assistance in negotiating a mutually acceptable resolution of the conflict. A mediator, while maintaining a neutral stance, is expected to practice effective skills and strategies for resolving a conflict. One of the key skills of a mediator is the ability to manage the emotions of the disputants. Reducing hostility and building trust can prove beneficial in ensuring the success of the mediation process. Disputants often come to the negotiation table with high intensity emotions because of some grievance or wrong done to them, and specifically in conflicts revolving around religion. An efficient mediator is not only expected to build trust, but also manage the emotions of the disputants in order to proceed to an effective negotiation process. It is therefore important to understand the relevance and impact of emotions in the field of religious conflict resolution, both at the international and the national level. In this research, two case studies are discussed in order to develop a better understanding of the involvement of emotions in religion-based conflict resolution. Pakistan and India at the international level, and sectarian conflicts within Pakistan at the national level are discussed because religion-based conflicts involve high intensity emotions that require expert mediation in order to reach a peaceful settlement.