Transcending Dualistic Thinking in Conflict Resolution

Dualism, a doctrine espousing that everything in the universe is divided into polar opposites, is a defining characteristic of social discourse around the world. This article examines this phenomenon and suggests that dualism's centrality in language, thought, and action produces divisiveness and limits conflict resolution options. This essay proposes that more dynamical systems of interpretation originating from a broad range of disciplines including linguistics, the physical sciences, and Eastern religions can be useful in a variety of conflict resolution situations because they encourage more complex and creative thinking.