Conflict and War Conversation Questions

Warm-up Question:
Have you learned any martial arts or other form of fighting? If not, would you like to?

Discussion Questions:

1. Have you had any arguments lately? Who did you argue with? What did you argue about?
2. When you argue with someone, is your goal to win the argument, or to find agreement?
3. Have you taken part in a structured debate? What issue was debated? If not, do you think you would be good at debating in a formal way?
4. When you disagree with someone, can you stay calm? Or do you get emotional?
5. Do you have any strategies for settling disagreements peacefully?
6. Is it normal to argue with a romantic partner? Is it a sign of a healthy relationship?
7. Where are strangers most likely to fight in modern cities? What situations bring out the worst in people?
8. There is often conflict between neighboring countries. How is the relationship between your country and its nearest neighbors?
9. Where is there war in the world today?
10. What is good about peace?
11. Some academics classify a conflict with over 1000 deaths in a year as a ‘war’. Does this classification make sense to you?
12. Are you interested in the tools of war? What is interesting about guns, tanks, fighter jets, and naval ships?

13. Traditionally, some toys for boys have been war-themed. Are boys more interested in war than girls? Why?
14. What can ordinary citizens do to try to keep or bring about peace?
15. Do you have relatives that fought in some of the big wars of the past? Have you heard war stories from them? If not, are you interested in hearing about those kinds of experiences?
16. Have you served in the military? If so, which branch and when? If not, have you considered serving?
17. In relations between countries, one country’s defense can look threatening to another country. Is misunderstanding a major cause of conflict?
18. Can you think of examples of war-themed TV shows or movies? Do you enjoy these kinds of shows?
19. Many soldiers suffer from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) after serving in war. What kinds of experiences do they have that lead to PTSD?
20. History seems to be full of wars. Are you interested in history? What time and place is most interesting to you? If not, why not?