Some years ago a group of academics from different disciplines recognized the necessity of studying conflict as a phenomenon. They were interested in the distinct properties of conflict as it occurred in international relations, national politics, industrial relations, communities or even in the domestic setting. These academics believed that approaches from different disciplines could be applied to the study of conflict with a view to better understanding its causes, effects and solutions. As a result, research groups developed, and universities and academic journals began to publish papers on 'conflict theory', as it came to be called. Unfortunately many other academics didn't welcome this new discipline; they couldn't reconcile it with traditional scholarly practices because it had both a practical nature and an analytical approach. Nevertheless, the new discipline continued to develop and the field grew and spread and conflict theory now has the same prestige as other academic areas of research and study, despite the early criticism it attracted.