was not the only gay person in town. However, the other gay people might not want to reveal themselves. This is an internal conflict as they struggle with their identity and the choice to reveal themselves. This also shows a conflict between these characters and society—perhaps they do not want to reveal themselves because of negative societal attitudes toward homosexuality. When specific characters, such as the various religious officials, speak out against homosexuality, this conflict can be considered characters vs. characters, as we see how there are some people who view others with hatred.

These are just some of the many conflicts that are explored in The Laramie Project.

The conflicts that play out in Laramie, Wyoming, after Moisés Kaufman’s Tectonic Theater Project arrives in town include human beings versus other humans, individuals versus society, and individuals against themselves (or internal conflict). Because the action begins after Matthew Shepard’s death, the audience hears about the killers’ actions from numerous different characters. Because the killers were the only witnesses to each other’s crimes and are in a weak position, one man, Russell Henderson, pleads guilty and testifies against the other, Aaron McKinney, at his trial. The prosecution of both men shows society against these individuals, and the trial shows one particular case of this opposition, in the effort to achieve justice for Matthew. The jury foreperson states, "We find the defendant . . . guilty" of the charges of kidnapping, robbery, and felony murder.

Some of Laramie’s residents seem to blame the victim, however, and speak as though sexual identity were a reason for being murdered. In trying to arrange an interview, Amanda speaks on the phone to a pastor's wife, who tells her that her husband "has very biblical views." The theater company members must try to maintain neutral tones in speaking with people who espouse such beliefs. Troupe members experience internal conflicts in carrying out their assigned roles in researching the theater work.

In addition, the outsiders who descend on Laramie both exacerbate existing conflicts and create new ones, although they inadvertently provide the impetus for building consensus and healing as well. The Westboro Baptist Church representatives show human versus human conflict when they bring their anti-gay message to the streets outside Matthew’s funeral, only to be met by the townspeople wearing giant “angel” wings that block their signs and spread a message of peace and understanding.

I think that Kaufman's work can be analyzed quite effectively through the lens of social conflict.  The idea of enfranchisement for people who are gay is a part of the dynamic in the drama.  Certainly, there is less of an emphasis on the economic element, but the social conflict approach of analyzing the dynamic between those who are deemed on the "inside" of social and political discourse and those who exist on the "outside" of this domain are all elements that can be fully understood and seen in the drama.  Gay rights and the desire for people who are homosexual to be accepted as full members of a particular social setting are all elements that can be seen as part of the social conflict theory that is brought out through the different discussion elements of the play and the different narratives revealed.  When Marge Murray talks about how the different social conflict forces might converge to construct the reality within which prejudice flourishes, it helps to bring out the idea that the study of the "insider/ outsider" dynamic is extremely important to the drama as well as how the social conflict theory can be used to analyze what is happening both inside it and outside of it.  In this, the social conflict analysis becomes extremely important and essential.