Conflict at our times. A pedagogical glance.

The possibility, implied in the concept of action, of giving birth to something new, of modifying oneself, shaping oneself, and one’s surrondings, leads to repeatedly getting in conflict with oneself and others. Actions is always inter- action; each action carries with itself consequences for the self and for others. An action implies the possibility of a conflict in the same way as an agent implies a patient. The relationship is inherently one of contrast. It involves differences, and differences - as such - tend to generate conflict and remain in mutual strain. Since ancient times, individuals and groups have had to face with this inherent dimension of existing-amidst-others. However, contemporary society, more than preceding ones, is to face with increasingly conflictual situations, because of its complex and multiethnic features. Conflicts become the inevitable ground where to co-exist but at the same time they turn into a privileged chance of building the self. In order to offer educational guidelines which may meet the needs of a multicultural society, intercultural pedagogy promotes the acquisition of skills which may enable the individual to deal with conflicts and to transform them into self-educational context, into a relational practice able to create spaces of civility where it is possible to build new worlds together.