Challenge for the 21st Century: Conflict Resolution

I believe the world is on the verge of entering an epoch-changing era in which conflicts are resolved before they lead to either hostility or the dissolution of relationships.

What is needed now:
      Coordination of research and study of conflict resolution and the compilation of successful ways in which conflicts have been resolved amicably is needed now.  Knowledge about conflict resolution should be housed in designated universities and colleges, one of which should be a military college.  Be it recognized even by the US receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, that the US military has amassed a number of successes worldwide, howbeit recent, in resolving conflicts internal to a country or external. It should thus be given an especial role in the coordination project.

The Current Status of knowledge about conflict resolution
       The realm of literature and the arts, e.g., theater, present instances of conflict resolution.   And countless fields of study delve into the topic or contain reference to its concept: sociology and anthropology as relevant social sciences, management-union relations, the judiciary and law enforcement agencies, the military history of wars, intercity gang violence, marriage counseling, the history of religions of the world and their sects, documented by racial and religious historical records. I understand there exist organizations devoted to its inquiry.  Even politically hostile fringe groups like al-Qaeda can be seen as motivated toward conflict because their cries from desperation are cast aside by an unresponsive society.

       Accordingly, much knowledge, though haphazardly scattered about in the intellectual world, needs only compilation, classification; and synthesis. 

Project Completion

       The world will know this coordinating effort has succeeded when it is scientifically confirmed that "marriages are made in heaven!"  (Compare to the Biblical euphoric ideal of a lion lying down with a lamb.)

           

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Thursday, January 16, 2014

--I've put out some timely items today.
1. Could UN Lead in Earth's Infrastructure Upgrading? in John's "What's Up?"

2. Good Resources in Didactics.

Could UN Lead in Earth's Infrastructure Upgrading?

President Obama has been proposing that infrastructures like schools, bridges, waterways, coastal lands, roads, government buildings and so on be brought up to specs for a nation on the move--confronting, as it does, the implications of  changes in sea-level, greater offshore drilling for natural resources, increased motorized and train traffic; and  heavy demand for shipped goods via air, sea, and earth.   His vision is to spur Congress to pay for such projects on the home front.  Congress is apparently prepared to follow his lead in order to create even more trade agreements spanning the globe.

But the need for infrastructure upgrading is global, particularly if US trade and commerce is to reach every country, nay, every locality in the world!  And, that possibility can become a reality by the Twenty-Second Century.  As one people, we the citizenry should stand with our corporations and  businesses to penetrate markets wherever trade is possible thus, overcoming the problem of infrastructure upgrading and making trade even more extensive with a greater number of trading partners.  The Baltic States, for example--Estonia in particular, are wont for roads and ports to rival their capabilities in transacting commercial ventures over the Internet.  But they need the superstructures that would enable them to really enter the modern pace of today's world of commerce!  The same case can be made for countries in South America and Africa.

Now, it just so happens that there will soon emerge a major, worldwide problem of finding a sufficient number of jobs for youths.  The crop of youths about to enter the workforce is about to become staggering, and jobs must await them.  These youths, I assume, won't have families, aren't really committed to remaining in any one area, e.g., where they were born, and so could benefit from employment opportunities in upgrading infrastructure no matter where-in-the-world the jobs are! 

It would be helpful, of course, if the dominant nations in the world--the US, China, Russia, Germany, England, and so on could offer expertise and technical training and equipment to those countries just barely aware that they have serious infrastructure needs.

So, my proposal is that no country go it alone in undertaking some project of infrastructure construction,  but that the United Nations coordinate all such efforts, no matter whether the project be in some advanced country or some Third World nation.  The materials required would no doubt be local, but the techniques would be of the utmost advanced quality.  Workers would come from a pool of unemployed youths, willing to travel (like true soldiers and the French Foreign Legion) and dedicated to doing something of lasting value and of great need to further commerce around the world; and their work experience on some project might give them training useful for the rest of their working years.

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Saturday, January 4, 2014

I've opened up a new item theme in the Didactics series, "Lessons."  The first of the items is on lessons from history.

Because I don't plan on doing anything with the Social-X series except submitting the edited manuscript (once I finish that and add a new section on Social Meaning, to be completed by the Spring), for e-book publishing consideration by some e-book house, I haven't been steadily pursuing the course, but have gone off on tangents into some current political and social issues now and again.  I am making progress, be it ever so slowly!