Why do people fight?

Think about your own life.

Why do you end up fighting with:

-Your parents?

-Your friends?

-Your neighbours?

1st Scenario:Imagine…

The projector in class _____ broke down. Class _____ insists on using your classroom and suggests that your class moves to the 4th level. The principal approves this and allows them to take over your class.

How would you feel?

A few days later, you learn that your SS teacher will be resigning and leaving the school at the end of the week. As there are not enough SS teachers, class _____ proposes to the principal that your class do self-study for SS while they will get another existing SS teacher to continue teaching them. The principal approves this.

How would you feel?

2nd Scenario:Imagine…

One day, your classmate in class _____ and you are discussing about the above 2 issues. Your classmate think that what have happened to your class is fair.

How would you feel?

3rd Scenario:Imagine…

Main causes of conflict

1. What is the main cause of the conflict between your class and the other class in the 1st scenario?

2. What is the main cause of the conflict between your class and the other class in the 2nd scenario?

3. What is the main cause of the conflict between your class and the other class in the 3rd scenario?

Fighting over territories

Fighting over scarce resources

Do not share the same ideas / the same ideological differences

Why are you fighting over all these?

• To protect your class interest or own interest

• Countries fight too when their national interest is being threatened and they want to protect it.

Now, do you think countries fight over the same reasons?

What is national interest?

• Anything that affects the existence, independence, sovereignty, economic development and territorial control of a country

Causes of conflicts

1. Competing territory

2. Conflict over scarce resources

3. Conflict over ideological differences

In what ways does the above threaten a country’s national interest?

Identify the cause of conflict for each case study

Case Study 1:

What was the cause of conflict between Iceland and Britain?Answer: Conflict over scarce resources

• During the 1970s, Iceland had few natural resources and depended on the fishing industry for its survival.

• They discovered that fisherman from Britain were overfishing around Iceland and fish stocks were starting to decrease.

• Iceland tried to draw a boundary where no country would be allowed to fish within the boundary without its permission.

• However Britain did not acknowledge the boundary. • Because of this, Iceland tried to cut diplomatic ties with

Britain in 1976.

Case Study 2:

What was the cause of conflict between North Korea and South Korea?Answer: Conflict over ideological differences

• After WWII, Korea was divided into two halves where the northern part was occupied by the USSR and the southern part was occupied by the USA.

• UN called for election to unite Korea in 1947. • However the USSR refused and form a communist

government in North Korea while a democratic government is formed in South Korea.

• In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, hoping to unite it with North Korea and form a communism state.

• However South Korea retaliated with the help of the USA.

Case Study 3:

What was the cause of conflict between Iceland and Britain?Answer: Competing over territory

• In the 1940s to 1960s, India and China fought over the ownership of Aksai Chin plateau and the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) on the Indian-China frontier.

• It was difficult to have a clear border between India and China as much of their frontier lies in the inaccessible Himalayas.

Case Study 3:

What was the cause of conflict between Iceland and Britain?Answer: Competing over territory

• In the 1940s to 1960s, India and China fought over the ownership of Aksai Chin plateau and the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) on the Indian-China frontier.

• It was difficult to have a clear border between India and China as much of their frontier lies in the inaccessible Himalayas.

Himalayans

Aksai Chin plateau

Aksai Chin plateau

NEFA (North East Frontier Agency )

Conflicts exist within a country too and the causes

of conflict are similar.

Case Studies:

1. Sri Lanka

2. Northern Ireland

A Quick Recap

3 main causes of Conflicts in the world today:

(1) Competing Territories

(2) Scarce Resources

(3) Ideological Differences