Imaginario de conflicto: narrativas de los docentes del Gimnasio Cristiano Luz y Vida

Abstract

Human actions are determined by language; everything that is established as truth, conditions social dynamics. This is why studying what the words mean is studying the actions around them, as is the case of the word conflict, in front of which violence is legitimized when its definitions are mixed. Hence, this qualitative research project aimed to identify the imaginary of conflict handled by the teachers of Gimnasio Cristiano Luz y Vida. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and narratives were collected from 11 volunteer teachers. Their narratives, together with the literary review, resulted in five analysis categories: definition of conflict, causes of conflict, consequences of conflict, mediations of conflict, and relationship of the concept with the armed conflict in Colombia. The first theoretical approach in this work is that of Galtung (2003) to define conflict, for whom it must be understood as an opportunity, and must be mediated by dialogue and creative alternatives, seeking to avoid violent mechanisms, which result from intentions to silence, dominate, or eliminate conflict. The second one is that of Castoriadis (1983) to define the social imaginary, who understands it as the basis of interactions and social representations, as a fundamental part of the creation of meanings, which can be instituting or instituted. Instituted meanings are born in the social interaction, from the imposition, and are not crossed by reflection. Instituting meanings are those that result from research, and that work for social possibilities and change. It is found that teachers who had contact with the instituting imaginary (teachers with advanced studies in the humanities) use words such as: opportunity, progress, need, differences, opinions, important, settlement, changes, among others. Teachers with short-term studies in the humanities and other areas of knowledge relate the conflict to: fighting, violence, lack of tolerance, adaptation, confrontation, exiles, victims, among others. Although some of the teachers in the latter group consider mediation and non-violent conflict resolution mechanisms, they associate the concept with violence, and show discomfort in front of it. The importance of this research lies in the need to educate for a culture of peace, whether through example, interaction, leadership, or through cross-cutting strategies or not. It is intended to work as an invitation to teachers to carry out a dialectical work between literature and experience that allows them to establish themselves as agents that represent the change towards clear objectives of carefully thought-out possibilities.