Preventing Violent Conflict Between Communities
Overview
A traditional approach to conflict is to wait until violence erupts or escalates- and then to intervene. More emphasis needs to be placed on prevention. The following INI projects develop theory and practical tools to prevent violence in the first place, thus improving international security and individual well-being.
- Understanding the Emotional Dimension of Human Security. INI develops ideas about how to use emotions to improve "human
security." The UN Commission on Human Security observed that to
keep people safe from violence, it is no longer sufficient to focus
on "national security" - on keeping a state's borders safe
from intrusion by other states. There needs to be a focus on keeping
individuals safe, especially given the high number of intercommunal
conflicts. Dealing with emotions is an important part of advancing human
security.
- Preventing Identity-Based Conflict. INI researches how to deal constructively with identity-based conflicts.
Most conflicts are driven by more than simply a desire to attain some
material resource such as land or money. Groups also want to preserve
the sanctity of their collective identity, a sense of who they are.
Identity-based conflict between groups can motivate large-scale violence.
Some scholars suggest that identity-based conflict is caused by resource
scarcity and power disparity. To some extent, this is true. Yet even
scarcity of key resources - such as oil and water - can be seen as "fundamentally
a psychological issue because movement towards sustainable development
requires changes in patterns of human cognition and behavior" (Winter,
D.D. (2000); from "Some big ideas for some big problems."
American Psychologist, 55, 516-522.)
- Measuring and Fostering Coexistence. A relational view. INI is working on developing theories to
measure levels of coexistence between communities and to promote peaceful
coexistence. Ideas are drawn from Shapiro's "relational identity
concerns framework" and from Fisher and Shapiro's "core concerns
framework" elucidated in Beyond
Reason: Using Emotions as You Negotiate.
- Designing Institutions that Foster Post-Conflict Societal
Healing. INI develops creative approaches to societal healing
and researches which approaches fit best in various situations. The
method of Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, for example, works well
in some situations, but not in all. What mechanisms work within which
contexts? That is a primary question of this research endeavor.
To Return to the List of Theory-Building Projects, click here.