RSS
Project Results
- Peacebuilding in Post-War Regions
- State and Non-State Relations in Transforming Violent Conflicts
- Resistance and Liberation Movements in Transition
- Conflict Transformation: Theory and Practice
- Potential and Limitations of Civil Society Organisations
- Crisis Prevention and Civilian Policy Approaches
- Peacebuilding and Youth Work in the Former Yugoslavia
- Conflict Transformation in the Caucasus
- Conflict Transformation in Sri Lanka
- Impact Assessment
- Other Project Results
Peacebuilding in Post-War Regions
Our research addresses challenges of peacebuilding and conflict transformation in post-war regions. Building trust, (re-)building relationships and finding constructive ways of dealing with the violent past are important preconditions for preventing violence and consolidating peace, especially in war-torn or ethnopolitically divided societies. Civil society, state actors and international organisations can all contribute to this by forging effective alliances. Within this context we are also investigating work that is directed at dealing with the past. Our goal in doing so is to link up the debates on transitional justice and reconciliation with the present discourse on conflict transformation. Above all, our research focuses on the interplay between various levels of actors, e.g. the activities carried out by international actors and those carried out by local or regional civil society actors. Project findings to date include:
| Author | Publication |
|---|---|
| Véronique Dudouet, Martina Fischer and Beatrix Schmelzle | Dealing with the Past in Israel-Palestine and in the Western Balkans. Story-telling in Conflict: Developing Practice and Research. Workshop Report. Berghof Working Paper No. 5. March 2008 |
| Martina Fischer and Volker Rittberger | Preface, in: idem (eds.): Strategies for Peace. Contributions of International Organisations, States and Non-State Actors. Opladen/Farmington Hills: Barbara Budrich Publishers, 2008 |
| Ivana Franovic | Dealing with the Past in the Context of Ethnonationalism. The Case of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 29. October 2008 |
| Martina Fischer | ‘Dealing with the Past’ in Bosnia. Obstacles and Challenges for ‘Reconciliation’ in the Region of former Yugoslavia, in: Swisspeace (eds.): Dealing with the Past in Post-Conflict Societies – Ten Years after the Peace Accords in Guatemala and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Swisspeace Conference Papers 1, Bern, 2007, 22-33 |
| Martina Fischer | Confronting the Past and Involving War Veterans for Peace. Activities by the Centre for Nonviolent Action, Sarajevo/Belgrade, in: Martina Fischer (ed.): Peacebuilding and Civil Society in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ten Years after Dayton. Münster: Lit Verlag, 1st edition, 2006, 387-416 |
| Martina Fischer (ed.) | Peacebuilding and Civil Society in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ten Years after Dayton. Münster: Lit Verlag, 1st edition, 2006 |
| Martina Fischer and Beatrix Schmelzle | Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 3. Transforming War Economies. Dilemmas and Strategies. Berlin 2005 |
| Martina Fischer and Beatrix Schmelzle | Introduction: Dilemmas and Options in Transforming War Economies, in: Martina Fischer and Beatrix Schmelzle (eds.): Transforming War Economies. Dilemmas and Strategies, Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 3. Berlin 2005, 5-10 |
| Martina Fischer | Recovering from Violent Conflict: Regeneration and (Re-)Integration as Elements of Peacebuilding, in: Alex Austin, Martina Fischer and Norbert Ropers (eds.): Transforming Ethnopolitical Conflict, The Berghof Handbook. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, 2004, 373-402 |
see also
For more publications on this issue, please check out the All publications section. For publications in German click here
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State and Non-State Relations in Transforming Violent Conflicts
This field of interest comprises research, dialogue and networking projects aimed at transforming asymmetric conflicts that involve both state and non-state actors. As yet, little research has been conducted on the possibilities for constructive interaction between these two sets of actors. This approach also involves making good use of conflict parties’ traditional (indigenous), cultural and/or religious affinities. Here, we focus on investigating third-party and insider mediation, as well as conducting comparative analyses of the conflict transformation approaches adopted by intrastate groups.
A new area of study for BCR, begun in 2009, these projects are also carried out in close cooperation with Berghof Peace Support.
| Author | Publication |
|---|---|
| Hans Joachim Giessmann and Oliver Wils | Conflict Parties' Interests in Mediation. Berghof Policy Brief No. 1. September 2009 |
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Resistance and Liberation Movements in Transition
This section covers research, conferences and dialogue projects addressing resistance and liberation movements that have made, or are making, the transition from armed struggle to politics, and their involvement in shaping peace processes. Using action research methodology and active networking, we support and better enable these transition processes through relevant advice, facilitating peer exchange and capacity building. In the first phase of the project, participating partners shared and explored their own experiences of transition. Based on this information, the emerging network of participants then compared and analysed their findings. This has resulted in a new conceptual focus on active, autonomous ways of shaping the future security policy of the groups involved, which now constitutes the second phase of the project (see project description). Findings from this research are also currently being adapted for use as policy advice. This work has been carried out in close collaboration with our sister organisation, Berghof Peace Support.
| Author | Publication |
|---|---|
| Berghof Peace Support, Conciliation Resources (ed.) | Mediating Peace with Proscribed Armed Groups. A Policy Workshop Report on the Implications of European Union (EU) Counter-Terrorism Legislation for Mediation and Support for Peace Processes. January 2011 |
| Alberto Martín Álvarez | From Revolutionary War to Democratic Revolution. The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) in El Salvador . Berghof Transitions Series Nr. 9. November 2010 |
| Armend R. Bekaj | The KLA and the Kosovo War: From Intra-State Conflict to Independent Country. Berghof Transitions Series No. 8. September 2010 |
| Urko Aiartza , Dr. Julen Zabalo | The Basque Country: The Long Walk to a Democratic Scenario. Berghof Transitions Series No. 7. May 2010 |
| Carolin Goerzig | Mediating Identity Conflicts: Potential and Challenges of Engaging with Hamas. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 30. February 2010 |
| Véronique Dudouet | From War to Politics: Resistance/Liberation Movements in Transition. Berghof Report No. 17. April 2009. |
| Véronique Dudouet | Negotiating Conflict Settlements. Lessons Learnt and Challenges. Roundtable Meeting Report, Workshop: 7-9 March 2008, Schwanenwerder, Berlin, Germany |
| Bairbre de Brún | The Road to Peace in Ireland. Berghof Transitions Series No. 6. December 2008 |
| Aguswandi, Wolfram Zunzer | From Politics to Arms to Politics Again: The Transition of the Gerakan Acheh Merdeka (Free Aceh Movement). Berghof Transitions Series No. 5. October 2008 |
| Suthaharan Nadarajah and Luxshi Vimalarajah | The Politics of Transformation: The LTTE and the 2002-2006 peace process in Sri Lanka. Berghof Transitions Series No. 4. April 2008 |
| Kiyoko Ogura | Seeking State Power - The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). Berghof Transitions Series No. 3. March 2008 |
| Mac Maharaj | The ANC and South Africa’s Negotiated Transition to Democracy and Peace. Berghof Transitions Series No. 2. January 2008 |
| Mauricio García Durán, Vera Grabe Loewenherz and Otty Patiño Hormaza | M-19's Journey from Armed Struggle to Democratic Politics: Striving to Keep the Revolution Connected to the People. Berghof Transitions Series No. 1. January 2008 |
See also (in Spanish):
Mauricio García Durán (ed.): De la Insurgencia a la Democracia. 2009.
Estudios de caso (Colombia, Sudáfrica, Irlanda del Norte, Aceh) /
Estudios de caso (Nepal, Sri Lanka)
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Conflict Transformation: Theory and Practice
Here we are developing and analysing theory-guided concepts of conflict transformation and/or putting them to a practical test in case studies. Strong links to practicable political concepts and a solid grounding in civil society peacebuilding efforts are a distinctive feature of all of our conceptual work. We believe that theoretical approaches should contribute to developing new political strategies and, by the same token, our considerations on theory should always be inspired by analysing the practical challenges of conflict transformation. One of our most important contributions is the concept of systemic conflict transformation, which is the joint brainchild of Berghof Conflict Research and Berghof Peace Support, and also our work on designing security structures that are conducive to promoting peace. Further theory-guided approaches from BCR’s early days include work on Interactive Conflict Resolution (ICR), later work on “peace constituencies”, on the specific roles that state and civil society actors play in peace processes and on the impact assessment of strategies for influencing conflicts. Our most recent theoretical work focuses in particular on new intercultural models for resolving ethnopolitical conflicts, peacebuilding and structuring security policy transition in processes of conflict transformation.
| Author | Publication |
|---|---|
| Martina Fischer and Beatrix Schmelzle (eds.) | Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 8. Building Peace in the Absence of States: Challenging the Discourse on State Failure. Berlin 2009 |
| Martina Fischer and Beatrix Schmelzle | Introduction, in: Martina Fischer and Beatrix Schmelzle (eds.): Building Peace in the Absence of States: Challenging the Discourse on State Failure, Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 8. Berlin 2009, 5-14 |
| Daniela Körppen, Beatrix Schmelzle and Oliver Wils (eds.) | Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 6. A Systemic Approach to Conflict Transformation. Exploring Strengths and Limitations. Berlin 2008 |
| Norbert Ropers | Systemic Conflict Transformation: Reflections on the Conflict and Peace Process in Sri Lanka, in: Daniela Körppen, Beatrix Schmelzle and Oliver Wils (eds.): A Systemic Approach to Conflict Transformation: Exploring Strengths and Limitations, Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 6. Berlin 2008, 11-41 |
| Diane Enns | Identity and Victimhood. Questions for Conflict Management Practice. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 28. May 2007 |
| Véronique Dudouet | Transitions from Violence to Peace: Revisiting Analysis and Intervention in Conflict Transformation. Berghof Report No. 15. November 2006 |
| David Bloomfield | On Good Terms: Clarifying Reconciliation. Berghof Report No. 14. October 2006 |
| Hannah Reich | "Local Ownership" in Conflict Transformation Projects: Partnership, Participation or Patronage? Berghof Occasional Paper No. 27. September 2006 |
| Véronique Dudouet, Beatrix Schmelzle and David Bloomfield (eds.) | "Theories of Social Change and their Contribution to the Practice of Conflict Transformation: Developing the State of the Art in Conflict Transformation Theory and Practice", 26-27 September 2005, Berlin. Seminar Report, Berghof Report No. 11. March 2006 |
| David Bloomfield, Martina Fischer und Beatrix Schmelzle (eds.) | Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 5. Social Change and Conflict Transformation. Berlin 2006 |
| Beatrix Schmelzle | Training for Conflict Transformation - An Overview of Approaches and Resources. The Berghof Handbook for Conflict Transformation, Online-Version, 2006 |
| Yvonne Kemper | Youth in War-To-Peace Transitions. Approaches of International Organizations. Berghof Report No. 10. January 2005 |
| Alex Austin, Martina Fischer and Norbert Ropers (eds.) | Transforming Ethnopolitical Conflict, The Berghof Handbook. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, 2004 |
| Martina Fischer and Norbert Ropers | Introduction, in: Alex Austin, Martina Fischer and Norbert Ropers (eds.): Transforming Ethnopolitical Conflict, The Berghof Handbook. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, 2004, 11-22 |
| Norbert Ropers | From Resolution to Transformation: The Role of Dialogue Projects, in: Alex Austin, Martina Fischer and Norbert Ropers (eds.): Transforming Ethnopolitical Conflict, The Berghof Handbook. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, 2004, 255-270 |
| Martina Fischer, Clem McCartney and Oliver Wils (eds.) | Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 2. Security Sector Reform. Potentials and Challenges for Conflict Transformation. Berlin 2004 |
| Clem McCartney, Martina Fischer and Oliver Wils | Introduction: Dilemmas of Security Sector Reform in the Context of Conflict Transformation, in: Martina Fischer, Clem McCartney and Oliver Wils (eds.): Security Sector Reform. Potentials and Challenges for Conflict Transformation, Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 2. Berlin 2004, 5-8 |
| Benedikt Korf | Contract or War? An essay on institutional logic in violent conflict. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 23. April 2003 |
| Hannah Reich | Constructive Discourse Transformation. Media work in asymmetrical, intercultural conflicts: The case of the Middle East. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 22. February 2003 |
| Norbert Ropers | Roles and Functions of Third Parties in the Constructive Management of Ethnopolitical Conflicts. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 14. November 1997 |
| Frank Liebe | Intercultural Mediation: A Difficult Brokerage. An Empirical-Analytical Attempt to Access the Impact of Cultural Differences. Berghof Report No. 2. May 1996 |
| Norbert Ropers | Peaceful Intervention: Structures, Processes, and Strategies for the Constructive Regulation of Ethnopolitical Conflicts. Berghof Report No. 1. October 1995 |
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Potential and Limitations of Civil Society Organisations
Berghof Conflict Research has long been investigating the role that civil society actors play in conflict transformation, particularly peacebuilding in post-war societies. This focus is well suited to our dual capacity as a research institute and NGO actively involved in supporting peace processes. One particular feature of our research is the energetic cooperation we foster and enable between academics and practitioners. In addition to our own contributions, we also offer our cooperating partners a platform – for example in the Berghof Handbook – for sharing their experiences of civil society engagement aimed at transforming violent conflict. Civil society approaches are also discussed and analysed in country-specific case studies. The aim here is to discover the possibilities and potential that civil society organisations have in relation to peacebuilding and democratisation processes. Importantly, however, we are also interested in learning about the limitations they face in relation to their political and social engagements. Within the framework of participatory action research, we work together with local organisations to develop strategies for regional cooperation and networking. The research findings and practical collaboration with local partners also serve to reinforce our consultancy capacities.
| Author | Publication |
|---|---|
| Véronique Dudouet | Cross-border nonviolent advocacy during the second Palestinian intifada: The International Solidarity Movement, in: Howard Clark (ed.): People Power: Unarmed Resistance and Global Solidarity. London: Pluto Press, 2009, 125-134 |
| Beatrix Schmelzle and Martina Fischer (eds.) | Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 7. Peacebuilding at a Crossroads? Dilemmas and Paths for Another Generation. Berlin 2009 |
| Martina Fischer | Civil Society Actors in Peacebuilding: Potential and Limits, in: Volker Rittberger and Martina Fischer (eds.): Strategies for Peace. Contributions of International Organisations, States and Non-State Actors. Opladen/Farmington Hills: Barbara Budrich Publishers, 2008, 221-259 |
| Véronique Dudouet | Surviving the Peace: Challenges of war-to-peace transitions for civil society organisations. Berghof Report No. 16. November 2007 |
| Martina Fischer (ed.) | Peacebuilding and Civil Society in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ten Years after Dayton. Münster, Hamburg, London: Lit Verlag, 2nd edition, 2007 |
| Martina Fischer | Civil Society Contributions to Global Governance and Peacebuilding - Potential and Limits. Essay for a workshop on NGOs, International Security, and Global Governance held by the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies, October 9, 2007, Washington, DC |
| Martina Fischer | Civil Society in Conflict Transformation: Ambivalence, Potentials and Challenges. The Berghof Handbook for Conflict Transformation, Online Version, October 2006 [a print version of this article has also been published by the Berghof Research Center for Constructive Conflict Management and the Berghof Foundation for Conflict Studies, Sri Lanka Office. October 2006] |
| Martina Fischer (ed.) | Peacebuilding and Civil Society in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ten Years after Dayton. Münster, Hamburg, London: Lit Verlag, 1st edition, 2006 |
| Oliver Wolleh | Cyprus: Rapprochement between Implicit Recognition and Repression. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 21. June 2002. This paper is only available in Greek and Turkish. |
| Oliver Wolleh | Local Peace Constituencies in Cyprus. Citizens' Rapprochement by the bi-communal Conflict Resolution Trainer Group. Berghof Report No. 8. March 2001 |
| Martina Fischer and Giovanni Scotto | Southeast European NGOs for the Stability Pact. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 17. November 2000 |
| Martina Fischer and Giovanni Scotto | Southeast European NGOs and the Stability Pact. A Conference Report on the Contribution of Regional Civil Society, Sinaia (Romania), 19-22 May 2000 |
| Sinaia Recommendations. Based on the Proceedings of the Conference: South-East European NGOs for the Stability Pact, Sinaia (Romania), 19-22 May 2000 | |
| Diana Francis and Norbert Ropers | Peace Work by Civil Actors in Post Communist Societies. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 10. September 1997 |
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Crisis Prevention and Civilian Policy Approaches
Ever since its foundation, the research centre has been looking at how to strengthen preventative and civilian (non-military) approaches to peacebuilding in German and European foreign policy, as well as on a global level. Since 1998 we have advised the German government, among others, on setting up the Center for International Peace Operations (ZIF), through the federal foreign office’s Advisory Board for Civilian Crisis Prevention and in collaboration with the development cooperation agency GTZ. We have also advised the government and various NGOs on improving their training in civilian conflict resolution and establishing the Civil Peace Service (ZFD). In addition to this, we made recommendations for enhancing the coherence of Germany’s foreign and development policies with regard to peacebuilding. A further field of activity was the European Union’s crisis prevention policy. We took part in the debate on conflict sensitivity in development policy, looking for proactive ways to use development instruments for peacebuilding. Our aim here was to systematically integrate peacebuilding instruments into development cooperation measures. This has involved actively supporting practice projects, and also supporting and evaluating them over a longer time-span. Project findings to date include:
| Author | Publication |
|---|---|
| Véronique Dudouet | Nonviolent Civic Action in Support of Human Rights and Democracy. Directorate-General for External Policies of the European Union, EXPO/B/DROI/2008/69. Brussels: European Parliament, 2009 |
| Véronique Dudouet | Nonviolent Resistance and Conflict Transformation in Power Asymmetries. The Berghof Handbook for Conflict Transformation, Online Version, 2008 |
| Alex Austin | Early Warning and The Field: A Cargo Cult Science?, in: Alex Austin, Martina Fischer and Norbert Ropers (eds.): Transforming Ethnopolitical Conflict, The Berghof Handbook. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, 2004, 129-150 |
| Martina Fischer and Oliver Wils | Poverty Reduction and Crisis Prevention. How can Poverty Reduction be Shaped Conflict Sensitively? VENRO-Project Prospects for 2015 – Combating Poverty Requires Involvement, 2015 in Dialogue, No. 6, 2003 - this paper is also available in German - |
| Wojciech Kostecki | Prevention of Ethnic Conflict. Lessons from Romania. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 19. August 2002 |
| Tobias Debiel and Martina Fischer | Crisis Prevention and Conflict Management by the European Union: Concepts, Capacities and Problems of Coherence. Berghof Report No. 4. September 2000 - this report is also available in German - |
| Tobias Debiel, Martina Fischer, Volker Matthies and Norbert Ropers | Effective Crisis Prevention - Challenges for German Foreign and Development Policy. SEF Policy Paper No. 12, June 1999. Published by: Development and Peace Foundation/Stiftung Entwicklung und Frieden (SEF), Bonn - this paper is also available in German - |
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Peacebuilding and Youth Work in the Former Yugoslavia
The Berghof research centre’s engagement in the Western Balkans began in 1999. Our aim was to provide support for peace constituencies and networking among potential peacebuilders in the successor states of the former Yugoslavia and neighbouring countries. To begin with, in cooperation with the Church Development Service EZE/EED, we supported networking activities among peacebuilding NGOs in the Western Balkans. We also developed project partnerships with actors involved in rebuilding some of the communities that had been destroyed in Bosnia-Herzegovina, or in promoting reconciliation within and between the fragmented societies of the former Yugoslavia. In collaboration with the GTZ, we implemented a three-year programme on youth community work in Bosnia-Herzegovina. From 2002-8 we provided academic support for the project “Young People Build the Future”, which was carried out in trilateral partnership with the local organisation IPAK (based in Tuzla) and the German foundation Schüler Helfen Leben. The aim of this project was to link developmental approaches with peacebuilding work in the returnee communities in eastern Bosnia. We also gained new insights regarding civil society’s role and scope in transforming war into peace. Together with various partners (including, among others, the Centre for Nonviolent Action in Sarajevo and Belgrade) we also investigated approaches towards reconciliation and dealing with the past in the region.
| Author | Publication |
|---|---|
| Helena Rill and Ivana Franovic (eds.) | "I cannot feel good if my neighbor does not." Belgrade: Centre for Nonviolent Action, 2009. [Original: "Ne moze meni bit dobro ako je mom susjedu lose." Belgrade: Centre for Nonviolent Action, 2005.] |
| Ivana Franovic | Dealing with the Past in the Context of Ethnonationalism. The Case of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 29. October 2008 |
| Véronique Dudouet, Martina Fischer and Beatrix Schmelzle | Dealing with the Past in Israel-Palestine and in the Western Balkans. Story-telling in Conflict: Developing Practice and Research. Workshop Report. Berghof Working Paper No. 5. March 2008 |
| Martina Fischer (ed.) | Peacebuilding and Civil Society in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ten Years after Dayton. Münster, Hamburg, London: Lit Verlag, 2nd edition, 2007 |
| Martina Fischer | Preface, in: Martina Fischer (ed.): Peacebuilding and Civil Society in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ten Years after Dayton. Münster, Hamburg, London: Lit Verlag, 2nd edition, 2007 |
| Martina Fischer | Moving out of the Era of Dayton into the Era of Brussels? (Introduction), in: Martina Fischer (ed.): Peacebuilding and Civil Society in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ten Years after Dayton. Münster, Hamburg, London: Lit Verlag, 2nd edition, 2007, 7-43 |
| Martina Fischer | Interview: Crossing Borders? Activities of the Trade Unions (with J. Redzepovic, ICFTU), in: Martina Fischer (ed.): Peacebuilding and Civil Society in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ten Years after Dayton. Münster, Hamburg, London: Lit Verlag, 2nd edition, 2007, 141-155 |
| Martina Fischer | The Need for Multidimensional Youth Work: Education, Interethnic Networking and Income Generation, in: Martina Fischer (ed.): Peacebuilding and Civil Society in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ten Years after Dayton. Münster, Hamburg, London: Lit Verlag, 2nd edition, 2007, 233-255 |
| Martina Fischer | Interview: "Krizevici means Junction". Working with Young Returnees in Sensitive Areas (with L. Sejfija and A. Harbic, Ipak, Tuzla), in: Martina Fischer (ed.): Peacebuilding and Civil Society in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ten Years after Dayton. Münster, Hamburg, London: Lit Verlag, 2nd edition, 2007, 257-277 |
| Martina Fischer | Confronting the Past and Involving War Veterans for Peace. Activities by the Centre for Nonviolent Action, Sarajevo/Belgrade, in: Martina Fischer (ed.): Peacebuilding and Civil Society in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ten Years after Dayton. Münster, Hamburg, London: Lit Verlag, 2nd edition, 2007, 387-416 |
| Martina Fischer | Interview: "Finding a Balance": Dealing with Past, Present and Future (with CNA Sarajevo), in: Martina Fischer (ed.): Peacebuilding and Civil Society in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ten Years after Dayton. Münster, Hamburg, London: Lit Verlag, 2nd edition, 2007, 417-437 |
| Martina Fischer | Bosnia’s Challenge: Economic Reform, Political Transformation and War-to-Peace-Transition (Conclusion), in: Martina Fischer (ed.): Peacebuilding and Civil Society in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ten Years after Dayton. Münster, Hamburg, London: Lit Verlag, 2nd edition, 2007, 441-470 |
| Martina Fischer | Preface, in: Helena Rill, Tamara Smidling and Ana Bitoljanu (eds.): 20 Pieces of Encouragement for Awakening and Change. Peacebuilding in the Region of the Former Yugoslavia. Sarajevo/Belgrade: Centre for Nonviolent Action, 2007, 7-12 |
| Nenad Vukosavljevic | Training for Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation. Experiences of the “Centre for Nonviolent Action” in the Western Balkans . The Berghof Handbook for Conflict Transformation, Online-Version, 2007 |
| Martina Fischer | Case study Bosnia Herzegovina, in: Jessica Banfield, Canan Günduz and Nick Killick (eds.): Local Business, Local Peace: the Peacebuilding Potential of the Domestic Private Sector. London: International Alert, 2006, 262-266 |
| Martina Fischer and Astrid Fischer | Youth Development: A Contribution to the Establishment of a Civil Society and Peacebuilding. "Lessons Learned" in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Berghof Working Paper No. 2. December 2004 |
| Martina Fischer | Youth Development as a Potential and Challenge for the Peace Process in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Berghof Working Paper No. 1. November 2004 |
| Oliver Wils and Natascha Zupan | Dealing with the Past and Conflict Transformation in Former Yugoslavia. Evaluation Report. January 2004 |
| Martina Fischer | Conflict Transformation by Training in Nonviolent Action. Activities of the 'Centre for Nonviolent Action' (Sarajevo) in the Balkan Region - An Evaluation-Report . Berghof Occasional Paper No. 18. July 2001 |
| Oliver Wils | War Veterans and Peacebuilding in Former Yugoslavia. A Pilot Project of the Centre for Nonviolent Action (CNA). Berghof Occasional Paper No. 24. February 2000 |
| Nenad Vukosavljevic/Centar za nenasilnu akciju | Nenasilje? Prirucnik za treninge iz nenasilne razrade konflikata – za rad sa odraslima. Sarajevo 2000 - this handbook is only available in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, Macedonian, Albanian, and Hungarian - |
| Centar za nenasilnu akciju (ed.) | Documentation: Plink! Training in Nonviolent Conflict Transformation. Sarajevo 2000 |
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Conflict Transformation in the Caucasus
The studies and reports grouped under this heading document findings from our long-standing Georgian-Abkhazian dialogue project. Involving participants from political contexts and civil society elites, this project enables us to introduce and analyse key processes of learning and change. We also examine the functions that organised and structured dialogue processes can perform in relation to conflict transformation.
In addition to offering ideas about the structure, content, aims and dynamics of dialogue processes, this work provides an overview of the political context of the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict. This involves reflection on the methods, potential and limitations of third-party facilitation. One particularly important part of the project is the ‘Schlaining Process’ and the workshops carried out within this framework from 1997 to 2005. Project findings to date include:
| Author | Publication |
|---|---|
| Oliver Wolleh | A Difficult Encounter – The Informal Georgian-Abkhazian Dialogue Process. Berghof Report No. 12. October 2006 - this report is also available in German - |
| Antje Bühler et al. | Discussion Pack on the Georgian-Abkhazian Conflict, published 2002 in partnership with Conciliation Resources (CR), London - Russian language only - |
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Conflict Transformation in Sri Lanka
This section contains reports, short studies, working papers, journal articles and written presentations on civil society interventions promoting conflict transformation, which were carried out or supported by the Berghof Foundation for Conflict Studies through its Sri Lanka office (2001 to 2007). Undertaken in close cooperation with local partners, these activities aimed to build local conflict transformation capacities in order to bring about changes in the Sri Lankan political system. Primarily orientated towards conflict sensitive socio-economic development planning, they were also able to promote networking across all three tracks of conflict transformation: the grassroots (track 3), middle management (track 2) and high-level political and diplomatic negotiators (track 1).
Adding another level of engagement, the project has produced short studies on the structures of Tamil and Sinhalese diasporas in Europe and Canada. The studies were designed to find more effective ways of including these groups in foreign policy engagements orientated towards preventing and transforming violent conflict. These studies are also more broadly relevant in terms of providing important insights for empirical diaspora studies.
Responding to needs on the ground, the project slowly evolved into a more practice-based activity. Hence our sister organisation, Berghof Peace Support, took over responsibility when it was set up in 2004. Project findings to date include:
| Author | Publication |
|---|---|
| Luxshi Vimalarajah & R. Cheran | Edit Empowering Diasporas: The Dynamics of Post-war Transnational Tamil Politics, edited by Berghof Peace Support (BPS). Berghof Occasional Paper No. 31. October 2010 |
| Norbert Ropers | Systemic Conflict Transformation: Reflections on the Conflict and Peace Process in Sri Lanka, in: Daniela Körppen, Beatrix Schmelzle and Oliver Wils (eds.): A Systemic Approach to Conflict Transformation. Exploring Strengths and Limitations, Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 6. Berlin 2008, 11-41 |
| Wolfram Zunzer | Diaspora Communities and Civil Conflict Transformation. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 26. September 2006 |
| Wolfram Zunzer | Report of the Sri Lanka Round Table, May 2004. Berlin 2004 |
| Wolfram Zunzer | Annotated Bibliography on the Nexus of Relief/Development Aid and Violent Conflict in Sri Lanka. Working Paper No.1. Berghof Foundation for Conflict Studies, Sri Lanka Office. Colombo 2002. |
For more, see
Berghof Peace Support (BPS) or All Publications
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Impact Assessment
Since the late 1990s, in line with our research and political consultancy work, the research centre has also been taking a critical look at the possibilities and limitations of assessing the impact of peacebuilding measures. We have debated these issues not only in the German Platform for Peaceful Conflict Management, but also in a wider context, e.g. with the European Platform for Conflict Prevention, and beyond. We made a substantial contribution to the “Reflecting on Peace Practice” project carried out by the US-based NGO Collaborative for Development Action, lobbying above all for a more realistic understanding of how to observe the impacts of peacebuilding measures, and advocating greater use of participatory evaluation approaches which encourage self-reflection among peacebuilders. This principle also characterises the research centre’s own approach to its work in implementing action research projects. The project findings detailed below offer examples of our methodological and conceptual work, as well as some of the evaluations we have carried out.
| Author | Publication |
|---|---|
Concepts and Methodology of Impact Assessment |
|
| Beatrix Schmelzle and Martina Fischer (eds.) | Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 7. Peacebuilding at a Crossroads? Dilemmas and Paths for Another Generation. Berlin 2009 |
| Martina Fischer and Beatrix Schmelzle | Introduction, in: Beatrix Schmelzle and Martina Fischer (eds.): Peacebuilding at a Crossroads? Dilemmas and Paths for Another Generation. Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 7. Berlin 2009, 5-10 |
| David Bloomfield, Martina Fischer and Beatrix Schmelzle (eds.) | Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 4. New Trends in Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment (PCIA). July 2005, online only |
| Beatrix Schmelzle | Introduction, Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 4. New Trends in Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment (PCIA). July 2005, online only |
| Alex Austin, Martina Fischer and Oliver Wils (ed.) | Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 1. Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment. Critical Views on Theory and Practice. Berlin 2003 |
| Martina Fischer and Oliver Wils | Ploughing through the Field: An Introduction to the PCIA Handbook Debate, in: Alex Austin, Martina Fischer and Oliver Wils (eds.): Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment. Critical Views on Theory and Practice. Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series No. 1. Berlin 2003, 3-9 |
| Collaborative for Development Action | Reflecting on Peace Practice. Contributions to the ‘Reflecting on Peace Practice’ project (initiated by the Collaborative for Development Action/Cambridge, Mass.; Life & Peace Institute/Uppsala, Sweden) |
Evaluations |
|
| Beatrix Schmelzle and Davor Konjikusic | Developing Linkages between Peace Education and Peace Promotion for Increased Impact in the Region of Former Yugoslavia. Findings of the Evaluation in March (April) 2008. Report for the Centre for Nonviolent Action’s Belgrade and Sarajevo teams. |
| Oliver Wils and Natascha Zupan | Dealing with the Past and Conflict Transformation in Former Yugoslavia . Evaluation of Activities by the Centre for Nonviolent Action (CNA), Belgrade and Sarajevo, January 2004 |
| Martina Fischer | Conflict Transformation by Training in Nonviolent Action: Activities by the "Centre for Nonviolent Action" (Sarajevo) in the Balkan RegionBerghof Occasional Paper No. 18. July 2001 |
| Oliver Wils | War Veterans and Peacebuilding in Former Yugoslavia. A Pilot Project of the Centre for Nonviolent Action (CNA). Berghof Occasional Paper No. 24. February 2000 |
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Other Project Results
In this section you find publications on issues, other than our current research interests. Most of them were drafted in the context of former projects.
| Author | Publication |
|---|---|
| Ranjith Lochbihler and Miriam Lambusta | The Sri Lanka Diaspora in Italy. September 2004 |
| Gabriel Andreescu | Natural Law, Agents and Patients and Minority Rights. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 13. November 1999 |
| Jon Sebastian | The Intercultural Mediation Project: The Bléré Experience. A Study of Conflict Management in an Intercultural Context. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 15. November 1997 |
| Anton Ivanov | Advanced Networking: A Conceptual Approach to NGO-based Early Response Strategies in Conflict Prevention. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 11. October 1997 |
| Anja Weiss and Aleksej Nazarenko | Strategies and Needs of NGOs Dealing with Ethno-political Conflicts in the New Eastern Democracies. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 7. March 1997 |
| Kinga Gál | The Protection of National Minorities and Regional Stability. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 6. September 1996 |
| Kinga Páll | The Hungarian Concept of Autonomy for Romania: The 1993 DAHR Draft-law on "National Minorities and Autonomous Communities" and Reactions from other Political Parties in Romania. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 4. September 1996 |
| Anja Weiss and Aleksej Nazarenko | Warsaw Workshop for Peace Builders. 28 January – 2 February 1996. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 3. September 1996 |
| Anna-Mária Bíró | The International Relations of the DAHR 1989-96. The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania. An Introduction. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 5. August 1996 |
| Anja Weiss and Aleksej Nazarenko | Golitsino Workshop for Peace Builders. 25 - 29 September 1995. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 2. August 1996 |
| Airat Aklaev | Ethnopolitical Legitimacy and Ethnic Conflict Management. The Case of the Russian Federation in the Early 1990s. Berghof Occasional Paper No. 9. June 1996 |
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