Distributing resources in a construction project: Conflictual co-operation about a common cause and its theoretical implications

Abstract

An investigation of a design project is presented with concepts and theory developed within critical psychology in order to understand the process. Investigating the co-operation of the design of a building allows us to see that the building, its design, and its use constitute common contradictory causes. In their co-ordinated activities, professionals participate from each of their perspectives with different functions and priorities, and in their acts they must take the contradictions into account. Contradictions as incompatible aspects in things and activities make it difficult to keep the common cause stable. This means that the participants’ co-operation is a continuous attempt to produce stability. They are constantly confronted with the possibility of reorganization, development, and conflict in their activities. Therefore, co-operation is conflictual. The theoretical position is based on the fact that our understanding is reciprocally formed with our local, common activities. The theoretical consequences of the position are explored.

Conflicts, situated inequality and politics of everyday life

“…In summary, we relate the concept of conflict to coordination between subjects who are connected through a common but many-sided matter, that is, the matter itself (in our case, school life) is contradictory, uniting the involved parties in a common engagement, as well as splitting them (Axel, 2020;Axel & Højholt, 2019). From different perspectives, they may learn about the matter and develop their coordination, but they may also end up stuck in dualistic conflicts.…”

Contradictions and conflicts: Researching school as conflictual social practice

“…Nevertheless, these common matters are multifaceted and contradictory (Ollman, 2003, 2015). Thus, we want to open theoretical possibilities for analyzing the broader context of school problems and how contradictory aspects of social practice are simultaneously incompatible and dependent on one another (Axel, 2011, 2019; Ollman, 2003, 2015). The focus on conflicts represents a way of approaching the interrelatedness of psychological phenomena in social life as opposed to dualistic compartmentalization of psychological functions.…”

“…The point is that these different practices interrelate—what happens in one context influences what is going on in the other—and that the school as social practice is complex and many-sided and is related to a multiplicity of different interests and aspects (cf. Axel, 2019).…”

“…Furthermore, these contradictions are potentially conflictual. Axel (2019) formulates this double possibility as conflictual cooperationConflictual cooperation is thus a phenomenon, where participants striving to do something together may end up in struggles and divisions about the common cause—and may be torn apart. (p. 15)…”

“…Contradictions challenge coordination: every day, the participants in school life must coordinate with one another in order to make things work. “In praxis, making things go together which won’t go together maintains the contradiction, but in a form which can be handled practically” (Axel, 2019, p. 12).…”