257 Summary is essential to them, and how these presuppositions limit how they perceive, understand and experience the world. Transformation takes place when these presuppositions are adjusted in such a way that a new, more integral and inclusive perspective becomes possible and the parties in question act on that new insight. Such alternative conflict resolution initiatives are often incidental actions in the context of large-scale, violent conflicts, but there are also initiatives that relate to more practical, everyday conflicts, for example in mediation. Despite inspiring and promising results, empirical research into the effectiveness of this approach to conflict cannot be convincingly conducted. What is missing is a substantiation of when there is success and what the intervention is based on. Due to the lack of both a solid foundation and empirically proven effectiveness of ‘alternative’ conflict resolution methods, in many conflict situations negotiation-based resolution strategies are retained (which, ironically, could be said to be proven ineffective). Or the parties choose warfare. The aim of this thesis is to find or develop a theory that provides a normative underpinning of what constitutes a stable and just solution of identity-related moral conflicts. Such a theory offers new possibilities for empirical research into the effectiveness of specific interventions, and indications for the development of institutions with which conflicts can be resolved at an early stage, or even prevented. Then, it is not only about resolving conflicts, but also about ensuring constructive cooperation between people with different fundamental values and beliefs. Understanding identity as a network of commitments One can find libraries filled with philosophical works about ‘identity’. In intractable conflicts, it is mainly about biographical identity, or in other words: how does someone understand and define himself. Objective and social characteristics can influence what one considers essential to who he or she is, but these characteristics are not constitutive of self-understanding in a subjective sense. A person can understand himself in a way that deviates from objective or social characteristics. The distinction between objective, social and subjective claims is important to properly understand identity-related moral conflicts. Conflicts can be distinguished into three layers: • Objective: a difference of opinion about factual circumstances, for example to what extent animals have feelings or consciousness (on the basis of which hunting or livestock farming should or should not be allowed); • Social: a conflict of interest over scarce resources, for example nature lovers want to preserve a biodiverse woodland while project developers want to build houses; • Subjective: a frustration in being able to express one’s own identity, for example an orthodox believer who does not want to be publicly mocked for what is sacred to him or her. A
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