Peace and Conflict Studies 

About: Peace and Conflict Studies is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Peace and conflict studies & Conflict resolution. It has an ISSN identifier of 1082-7307. Over the lifetime, 266 publications have been published receiving 2040 citations.

Beyond Resolution: What Does Conflict Transformation Actually Transform?

Abstract: The paper considers the concept of ‘conflict transformation’ in relation to earlier ideas concerning the ‘resolution’ of conflict and seeks to differentiate between the two approaches. Writers and writings from the conflict transformation ‘school’ are surveyed and an effort is made to delineate the core characteristics of the approach, viewed either as a process or an end state. Questions are raised about transformation on a personal, group or conflict system level, all of which seem to be encompassed by various adherents of the transformation school, and the unifying concept that emerges is that of the relationship between adversaries being transformed by a variety of techniques. However, it is finally argued that the very idea of ‘relationship’ is itself ambiguous so that a real intellectual effort needs to be made to clarify its nature and characteristics, and the various ways in which relationships can be changed.

The Role of Artistic Processes in Peace-Building in Bosnia-Herzegovina

Abstract: Throughout the world, community arts-based processes have become an essential component of peacebuilding work in societies experiencing severe conflicts. Both during a conflict and in post-conflict peacebuilding efforts, community based arts processes can be an especially effective tool to bring together identity groups through sharing common cultural experiences, raising awareness about past suffering, and engaging communities in creative projects. In this research project, the author spent fourteen months in Bosnia-Herzegovina researching the use of community arts-based peacebuilding efforts both during the war and in the post-conflict stage. This paper provides an overview the research and offers several conclusions on the role of arts in peacebuilding within Bosnia-Herzegovina with the hopes that these findings have relevance for other regions and the field in general. BIO: Craig Zelizer is completing his Ph.D. at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University and is a Program Director with the Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT). His areas of research/expertise include working with youth from violent conflict regions, civil society development and capacity building in transitional societies, program evaluation and design, and arts and peacebuilding. He lived and worked for over five years in several countries in Central and Southeastern Europe, including Bosnia-Herzegovina. He has studied improvisational theater and tries to incorporate artistic processes within his work. He may be contacted at czelizer@conflicttransformation.org www.conflicttransformation.org