Areas of Research

Peacebuilding in Post-War Regions

Our research focuses on 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 approaches for dealing with the past. There is important potential in the discourses surrounding ‘transitional justice’ and ‘reconciliation’ which is still waiting to be conceptualised and backed up with empirical data. Through case studies, context analysis and comparative research approaches, we hope to contribute to expanding knowledge in these subject areas. In particular we see the need for research into the interplay between various (international, regional and local) actors.

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Resistance and Liberation Movements in Transition

Recent experience around the world has demonstrated that non-state armed actors have become a defining feature of contemporary political conflicts, and that in the end, reaching political settlements needs their active involvement and cooperative engagement. This programme seeks to gain insiders’ knowledge on the role and practice of resistance and liberation movements conducting conflict, negotiations and peacebuilding, through the methodology of participatory action research. In close collaboration with local researchers and political stakeholders in various conflict or post-conflict settings, we carry out joint analysis on the organisational shifts from militant structures to post-war political actors, mechanisms and processes of peace negotiations, and the interface between political and security transition processes (e.g. demobilisation, security sector reform, civilian reintegration and political-structural reform). We also explore best practices and models for external support by international actors.

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State and Non-State Relations in Transforming Violent Conflicts

Most of the current violent conflicts in the world involve both state and non-state actors. At the same time, most models for transforming these conflicts fail to take into account that the varying conflict parties may have certain interests in common. Unilateral approaches to ‘solving’ conflicts, particularly those based on armed force, are never durable – if they can be enforced at all. We reject such power politics approaches on principle, because they tacitly accept that the weaker party’s legitimate interests will be suppressed. Developing sustainable incentives for actors to work together constructively is, in our view, the only lasting way to break spirals of violence. That is why we insist on inclusivity in our projects, i.e. looking into the aims and potential contributions of all conflict parties in the transformation process. Based on analysis of the various strategies that the actors within a conflict have adopted, we work with them to try and identify appropriate common ground and synergies, in order to promote constructive interaction. Here, our research interest lies primarily in constellations involving actors with ethnopolitical motivations.

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