University of Huddersfield Repository Robson, Susan Margaret An exploration of conflict handling among Quakers Original Citation Robson, Susan Margaret (2005) An exploration of conflict handling among Quakers. Doctoral thesis, University of Huddersfield. This version is available at http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/5945/ The University Repository is a digital collection of the research output of the University, available on Open Access. Copyright and Moral Rights for the items on this site are retained by the individual author and/or other copyright owners. 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For more information, including our policy and submission procedure, please contact the Repository Team at: [email protected]. http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/ AN EXPLORATION OF CONFLICT HANDLING AMONG QUAKERS SUSAN MARGARET ROBSON A thesis submitted to the University of Huddersfield in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Huddersfield May 2005 Abstract The Quaker community is committed to conflict resolution; it might be expected that the community itself is conflict free. This study explores this proposition and presents a counter narrative: conflict does exist among Quakers, with its roots in the culture of the organization. An ethnographic case study was undertaken in a context of observing participation, where the researcher was also actively responsible inside the organization. The project included: 39 semi-structured interviews with Key Informants, Grassroots Quakers and Edge Quakers; a collaborative inquiry workshop with 20 self-selected participants; recording of reflections over six months with a final workshop. The study finds a dominant community narrative telling how the Quaker task is to 'mend the world' and live in a'peaceable kingdom'. This is achieved by ignoring conflict within the organization, defensively following the maxim 'don't ask, don't tell, don't even think about it'. A distinctive pattern of conflict handling is revealed; aversion precedes avoidance, relationship is privileged above outcome, and moderation and restraint are required. Conflict which does surface and persists focuses on the interpretation of Quaker identity. The culture of aversion from conflict makes it difficult for Quakers to articulate conflict experience; they lack confidence and are hesitant. Counter narratives and personal narratives are not made public. Consequently there are very few collectively articulated stories about Quaker conflict handling. A constructivist narrative framework acknowledges the power in the internalised collective narrative. As proud individual nonconformists, Quakers minimise the coercive power of the collective narrative, which positions them as stultified in conflict, with their agency neutralized. It is argued that one way of creating radical change is to encourage the telling of more stories of Quaker conflict, providing new parts in the play. Acknowledgements In very many different ways this project has been a shared effort, and I record here my indebtedness to those who have helped me along the way. Firstly I thank all those Quakers who have participated in the research process. This ranges from those who have given a casual word of interest, to those who contributed interviews, to those who participated in two workshops and gave a commitment of time and themselves. This research is their product, even if they do not agree with the analysis. If that is the case, hopefully it will prove the starting point for further exploration. The combination of challenge and support at the Quaker Studies Research Summer School 2003 was invaluable. No less am I grateful to the members of my own Quaker meeting in Huddersfield and to those in Brighouse Monthly Meeting who have continued to treat me like myself rather than as a researcher, and made me feel I do belong even when I have doubted it. The interest and concern of all these people has kept me going. I would not have dared to stop before the end and fail to give their work back to them. Secondly I thank my supervisors : Vivien Burr, Trevor Butt and Graham Gibbs for their persistence in offering me three different ways of stimulating my thinking and for requiring coherent communication. Nancy Kelly, Christine Horrocks and Nigel Parton of Huddersfield University have helped with thoughtful questions and fruitful references. I In particular record the assistance of my Quaker support group - three diligent nameless survivors through the process. Ranked behind them are Beth Allen, Margaret Crompton, Alastair Heron, Helen Meads, Pam Lunn, who acted as critical reader (in part), Annette Leech, who showed the way, Niladri, who reminded me of the importance of story, Ben Pink Dandelion, who had no official role but accompanied the work from a distance, Victoria Kennedy and Chayley Collis, who acted as proof readers. The participants on 'Quaker-B' have continually reminded me that there are many others struggling to understand the Quaker community. Non-Quakers have also contributed to the project. Alistair McKay of the London Mennonite Centre has replied most patiently to my queries. Mark Chesterman has continued the pattern of 18 years by supplying the right reference at the right time, despite his profound reservations about Quakers. Without his contribution this thesis might have had a very different theoretical argument, but he is in no way responsible for what has resulted. Also I am grateful to the proprietors of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and Benjamin Robson for providing the context for some of my best ideas. Matt Robson and Frances Robson also deserve thanks, although I cannot provide a happy ending. Finally, I must commend my continuing partner in conflict, David Robson, who has always expected `outspoken comment within the family circle''. He has given support to this project and to me in innumerable ways. 1 This is a quotation from Extract 320 in Christian Faith and Practice in the Experience of the Society of Friends 1959, now supersededby Quaker Faith and Practice 1994. AN EXPLORATION OF CONFLICT HANDLING AMONG QUAKERS Abstract Acknowledgements Contents List of Figures and Tables Chapter 1 Introduction Background; structure of the thesis P1 Chapter 2 21st Century Quakers In the United Kingdom P14 Worship and decision making; organization and individual; peace and conflict. Chapter 3 Understanding Organizational Culture P33 Organizational Culture; change and conflict; images and stories Chapter 4 Understanding Conflict P47 Definitions; theoretical models; in organizations; in religious organizations; among Quakers Chapter 5 Methodology P70 Reflexivity; qualitative methodology; ethnography; collaborative action research. Chapter 6 The Key Informants: Restating the Paradox P89 Interview methods; findings; observing participation. Chapter 7 Grassroots Quakers: The Conscientious Core P105 Interview methods; findings Chapter 8 Edge Quakers: Mending the World P128 Interview methods; findings Chapter 9 Discussion : Tensions in the Peaceable Kingdom P141 Organizational culture; Quaker identity; utility of theory Chapter 10 Turning Inward: From the Collective to the Individual P164 Self; reflective practitioner, insidership Chapter 11 Collaborative Effort: Reflecting on Conflict Together P174 First workshop; findings Chapter 12 Pondering Alone: Constrained by Confidentiality P192 Reflective writing; looking outwards and inwards Chapter 13 Reflecting Together Again P206 Second Workshop; sharing experiences Chapter 14 Narrative, Story and Quaker Conflict P214 Story of the research; the narrative approach; Conclusion. over/ Glossary of Quaker terms References Appendices A Correspondence to set up the interviews. B Interview schedules for three sets of interviews C Publicity, programme and papers for the workshop. Follow up correspondence. D An example of pondering' writing. E ComputerAssisted Qualitative Data Analysis; an example AN EXPLORATION OF CONFLICT HANDLING AMONG QUAKERS List of Figures and Tables The Fat Cat Cartoon Page 1 Figure 1.Taxonomy of 5 Conflict Handling Modes Page 51 Table 1. Descriptions of the 5 Modes Page 52 Figure 2. Gattung's conflict triangle Page 54 Figure 3. 'Attributes' of Edge Quakers Page 130 Figure 4. Morgan's model for Quaker conflict Page 154 Figure 5. Age and gender distribution of workshop participants Page 177 Table 2. Workshop Programme: September 20 2003 Page 180 Figure 6. Locations for psychological phenomena Page 194 Figure 7. Written ponderings: number per person Page 196 Figure 8. Elements of positioning Page 226 Chapter 1: Introduction PA! CAJ vy Dau+rý IF %f coon A6l:,'-t ToALTloilo5 Tb 79 AM77A Mo06- SMALLw 'rugg To IW6 ft MACE Pj KWWOý Fat Cat, as Clerk of the Quaker Meeting, sits at the table and says 'If we cannot agree to alterations to the meeting house, shall we turn to ideas for peace in Kosovo?" This neatly expresses the puzzle which provoked this research: though Quakers are not good at resolving their own conflicts they feel it their duty to be involved in the more complex and difficult conflicts of other people in other parts