Argumentation in Conflict Resolution

Argumentation in Conflict Resolution (3 ECTS) is entirely devoted to introducing argumentation as a communicative approach to handle disagreement and resolve conflict. Particular attention will be devoted to argumentation in dispute mediation and other practices of Alternative Dispute Resolution, such as facilitated negotiation, ombudsman, and others. The focus of the course will be on the most important communicative competences that are necessary to approach conflict resolution, among which: questions, active listening, framing and reframing processes, discursive analysis of emotions, and specific argument patterns to be used by facilitators to help the parties without renouncing to neutrality. The course will introduce analyses of conflict resolution/prevention at a public level, for example environmental conflict. It will also use examples of interpersonal conflict to show how specific communication tools need to be used both at the interpersonal level and at a higher level (intergroup or international). Through hands-on analyses and theoretical reflection, students will gain skills to deal with conflicts at different level and to interpret controversies relevant to public communication. It is possible to attend this course for students who have or have not attended Argumentation in Public Communication.