Practicing Conflict Resolution and Cultural Responsiveness within Interdisciplinary Contexts: A Study of Community Service Practitioners

Abstract

Workplace conflict is a significant issue for community service professionals. As more professions work toward developing interdisciplinary teams and culturally responsive practices, the potential for the escalation of conflict may increase as different professional value systems and conflict management strategies converge. However, although they are often expected to respond proficiently to conflicts, many community service professionals may not have had sufficient training in policies, practices, and structures that can provide alternative and transformative approaches to conflict management in diverse contexts. This article presents results of an exploratory study with interdisciplinary community service students who took part in a conflict resolution course at a diverse university in a metropolitan city in southern Ontario, Canada. The findings show that most of these community service–related professionals dealt with conflict on a daily basis, much of which was escalated by cultural conflict, lack of professional resources and development, and limited training in transformative peacebuilding practices. Most participants found that cultural diversity and gender influenced how they responded to conflicts in their various settings. The findings have important implications for how issues of culture and diversity are addressed and included in conflict resolution training programs.