1st Edition

Resolving International Conflict Dynamics of Escalation, Continuation and Transformation

Edited By Isabel Bramsen, Poul Poder, Ole Waever Copyright 2019
    272 Pages 8 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    272 Pages 8 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    Resolving International Conflict rethinks the dynamics of conflict escalation and continuation by engaging with research from the wide range of subfields in this area.

    The book suggests a new framework for understanding conflict as a particular form of situation, interaction and tension. It shows how conflicts are shaped by varied dynamics relating to emotion, securitization, incentives, digital technology and violence; even attempts at monitoring, resolving or remembering conflicts may end up contributing to their escalation or continuation. Split into two sections, the first part focuses on the question of why and how conflicts escalate, while the second part analyses the continuation of conflict. The book features several case studies of conflict escalation and continuation - in Bahrain, Israel-Palestine, South Sudan, Northern Ireland and, most prominently, the case of the Syrian uprising and subsequent civil war. Throughout the book, and, in particular, in the conclusion, the consequences for conflict transformation are discussed.

    This work will be of much interest to students of conflict resolution, peace studies, war and conflict studies, security studies and international relations, in general.

    1. Introduction: Revitalizing Conflict Studies  Ole Wæver & Isabel Bramsen

    2. How Conflict Escalation Happens: Three Central Interaction Rituals in Conflict Isabel Bramsen & Poul Poder

    3. Escalation or Demobilisation? Diverging Dynamics of Conflict Displacement and Violent Repression in Bahrain and Syria Isabel Bramsen

    4. Humiliation Dynamics in Conflicts in Our Globalized World Poul Poder

    5. Syria: Moral Outrage and the Role of Grassroots Videos in Conflict Escalation Josepha Ivanka Wessels

    6. Clergy and Conflict Intensity: The Roles of the Sunni Ulama in the Syrian Conflict Jakob Skovgaard-Petersen

    7. Foreign Fighters: Violence and Modern Subjectivity Dietrich Jung

    8. Preventing Escalation: The International Pursuit of Conflict Transformation in Burundi Troels Grauslå Engell & Katja Lindskov Jacobsen

    9. ‘Nothing is Agreed Until Everything is Agreed’: Institutionalizing Radical Disagreement and Dealing with the Past in Northern Ireland Sara Dybris McQuaid

    10. Third Parties, Conflict and Conflict Resolution: The Case of Sudan Bjørn Møller

    11. External Incentives and Conflict De-escalation: Negotiating a Settlement to Sudan’s North-South Civil War Nikolas Emmanuel

    12. On the Continuation of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Martin Beck

    13. Ontological Securty and the Continuation of the Arab-Israeli Conflict Amir Lupovici

    14. Holding Out for the Day after Tomorrow: Futurity, Memory and Transitional Justice Evidence in Syria Sune Haugbølle

    Conclusion Poul Poder & Isabel Bramsen

    Biography

    Isabel Bramsen is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Centre for Resolution of International Conflict (CRIC), University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

    Poul Poder is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and the Deputy Director of CRIC (2013–2016).

    Ole Wæver is a Professor of International Relations at the Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and the Founder of the research centres CAST (Centre for Advanced Security Theory) and CRIC.

    ‘This welcome collection is a significant mile-stone for Conflict Studies. It offers a fresh perspective on a range of conceptual issues and contemporary cases, and in doing so bridges a long-standing gap between critical and mainstream approaches to war and violent conflict in International Relations.’--Oliver Richmond, University of Manchester, UK

    'The authors brilliantly take us back to basics: how to achieve peace. For the art of conflict transformation the authors vividly demonstrate why we need to understand conflict escalation and continuation. Required reading for all involved in conflict prevention and resolution.'--Tarja Cronberg, SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute), Sweden

    ‘This volume reflects the reinvigoration of cutting-edge peace research in Denmark and a new wave of Nordic peace research. By advancing a novel interdisciplinary approach to conflict dynamics, emotion, memory and media, the book breaks new ground in Peace and Conflict Studies.’--Karin Aggestam, Lund University, Sweden