EFFECTS OF INTERCULTURAL DIFFERENCE IN CONFLICTS RESOLUTION IN GHANA

University of Minnesota’s Centre for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) defines culture as ‘the shared patterns of behaviours and interactions, cognitive constructs and effective understanding that are learned through a process of socialisation. These patterns identify the members of a culture group whiles distinguishing those from another group’. Simply put, culture can be defined as the way life of a people. Their behaviours and actions are guided by values, norms, beliefs and taboos. These tenants guide the manner which dictates the actions and inactions of these groups from another. For it can be said that what is considered as a taboo in one cultural space may be praised in another as the saying goes, ‘one man’s meat is another man’s poison’.

As time passed, business travels and migration coupled with globalisation has brought about what is termed as heterogeneous society. This has provided a fertile ground for people from different walks of life to interact at different levels and live harmoniously with one another despite the differences that may exist within both parties culture. The focus of traits or judgement of a person’s behaviour or character is now based on the shared values of different cultures that manifest within the society. For example, today different ethnic groups exist in Accra a domain known to be the home of Ga’s. It will therefore be unfair to treat an Ashanti living in Accra for wrong doing that is not known to him or her, and so the need to find the balance. Intercultural differences is a two edged sword-it can make and break any efforts made to resolve a conflict.

First and foremost, in a conflict situation the issue of ‘majority’ rule comes to play. For that any conflict resolution efforts must first neutralise the supremacy tendencies that one ethnic group will play against the other. In a daring situation, this factor may pose serious treats to peace and security in a conflict zone. It is only natural for the ethnic group in the majority to stamp their feet by demanding total control over the bone of contentions or demand that their side of the bargaining is upheld all the time. An example is what was witnessed in the Mamprosi and Kosasi conflict. Even though these two ethnic groups clouded in two cultural entities share some cultural similarities, during the land ownership claims that resulted in a conflict, the Mamprosi were seen as settlers and not owners of the land. For this reason, the Majority being Kosasi continually claimed ownership of the land and demanded that Mamprosi had no right to either claim, sell or own a piece of land.

Secondly, intercultural differences make conflict resolution process expensive and time consuming. Universal tenants in conflicts resolution suggests that, parties involve in a conflict must be frontiers in any processes aimed at solving any deadlocks that has existed among these parties. In most cases compensations are provided to cater for damages or even ensure that there is an equal share of resources and demands. In an intercultural society providing compensation may prove impossible or a costly venture. This process in making sure that all parties are satisfied consumes time and drags the process and in most cases may even be an ingredient to aid the conflict to escalate. Parties may be thrown into speculations and throwing allegations at one another of being in ‘bed’ with the negotiator. Since time is of much essence in conflict resolution, intercultural differences in a conflict ridden society makes the efforts to restore stability a gruesome task.

Having said the above, some aspects of intercultural society, could make conflict resolution smooth sailing and easy to handle. Hammering the link that binds one cultural entity to the other could solve a conflict within a short time. One aspect that has fast track the vehicle of mixture of different cultures in the society is intercultural marriages. Intercultural marriages aside binding two different people it equally binds two different cultures (beliefs, norms and values). This difference makes it difficult for conflict to spread in such a society since turning against one culture will literally mean turning against your family. Negotiators may play on these benefits of coexistence and family ties to resolve conflicts.