Environmental conflicts occur within a complex and dynamic "context" that can influence disputants' perceptions of the conflict and may alter it in dramatic ways.Context is the complex "setting" in which a conflict occurs.Federal environmental laws provide a context in which decisions and actions occur.Likewise,government administrations,the make-up and political leanings of legislatures,events such as catastrophic droughts or wildfires,and public attitudes toward the environment are all part of that context and affect it in some way.Moreover,individuals function within their own organizational,social,and political environments and view conflict through a lens that is colored by that context.Environmental conflicts are played out in both dynamic and stable contexts,over which disputants can sometimes exercise influence.A change in context may suddenly alter the balance of power,affect the distribution of resources,shift priorities,and ultimately either limit existing options or create new options.This article focuses on the contextual dimensions of environmental conflict and the contribution of context to both intractability and transformation and resolution.The article also explores potential responses to contextual conditions that disputants face.It draws on three natural resource conflicts-the Quincy Library Group,the Edwards Aquifer,and Voyageurs National Park.
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