Evolution of the Other in Modern Conflict: a Constructivist Experience of Cconflict

Abstract

Conflict, as dealing with power, generally tends to be analysed in Russian sources through the prism of national interest and power play. Emerging new phenomena, such as terrorism, new/ asymmetric warfare, popular uprisings (e.g. Arab Spring), and the controversial notion of globalization, tend to be placed in realist frames of balancing, interest and state politics. This essay expands a constructivist contribution to explaining conflict by looking at the evolution of the image of the ‘other’ and stressing its importance as an element reflecting and cementing the conflict potential at a collective, public level. The argument links the evolution of the Other to its multilevel self-identities, formation of nation-state-self, increase in accessible information flows. By making a socio-historical cut, the essay suggests that conflict ‘others’ today have become more complex, which inhibits conflict resolution and leads us to reevaluate the often neglected role of constructivist analysis.

Keywords

• identity
• conflict
• political psychology
• self and other
• constructivism
• perception