Redefining the Game in Local Water Management Conflict: A Case Study

The article intends to bring a new perspective on conflict and cooperation analysis addressing a case study of Yoshino river weir conflict (Japan) by the use of drama theory approach. The confrontation arose when the Governmental agency proposed to remove and replace the old weir by a movable modern dam (kodazeki) to prevent future flooding. The Opposition group’s main arguments were that the new weir may not be as effective as compared to the cost of constructing the new renewal project and damage of water quality and ecosystem. Thus, both players are playing the game where their interests are different. Rather than adopting the conventional approach of modeling the conflict using game theory, we propose the alternative approach to describe how the situation evolved and how game can be changed in the context of player’s threats and promises. This also emphasizes that future can be created cooperatively by a group, rather than by way of confrontation in the conflict. This model may bring an effective methodological leverage in conflict and cooperation analysis where we can change the game.