Berghof Handbook for Conflict Transformation

What is conflict transformation about, and how does it relate to other concepts like peacebuilding, conflict resolution or conflict settlement?

• The State of the Art in Conflict Transformation. Handbook Article
  Louis Kriesberg. 2011  
• A Systemic Approach: Reflections on Sri Lanka. Handbook Article
  Norbert Ropers. 2011  
• Conflict Transformation: A Multi-Dimensional Task. Handbook Article
  Hugh Miall. 2004  
• Assessing the State-of-the-Art in Conflict Transformation. Handbook Article
  Cordula Reimann. 2004  
• Consilience of Knowledge for Sustained Positive Peace: A response to the Articles by Cordula Reimann and Hugh Miall. Handbook Article Response
  Githathevi Kanisin. 2003  
• The Civilisation of Conflict: Constructive Pacifism as a Guiding Notion for Conflict Transformation. Handbook Article
  Dieter Senghaas. 2004  

How can one address and mainstream these cross-cutting challenges relevant to all conflict interventions, such as power and power asymmetry, justice, fostering social change, cultural diversity, traditional values and methods, gender, nonviolence, human rights and security?

• Climate, peace and conflict. Mapping linkages and a path forward
  Tom Breese, Thomas Ritzer, Andrew Gilmour. 2024  
• Security and Risk Management for Peacebuilding Organisations. Handbook Article
  Larissa Fast. 2014  
• Human Rights and Conflict Transformation: Towards a More Integrated Approach. Handbook Article
  Michelle Parlevliet. 2011  
• Nonviolent Resistance and Conflict Transformation in Power Asymmetries. Handbook Article
  Véronique Dudouet. 2008  
• Potential and Limits of Traditional Approaches in Peacebuilding. Handbook Article
  Volker Boege. 2011  
• Conflict, Change and Conflict Resolution. Handbook Article
  Christopher R. Mitchell. 2011  
• Gender Relations, Violence and Conflict Transformation. Handbook Article
  Cilja Harders. 2011  
• New Thoughts on Power: Closing the Gap between Theory and Action. Handbook Article
  Diana Francis. 2011  
• Culture, Power Asymmetries and Gender in Conflict Transformation. Handbook Article
  Diana Francis. 2004  
• Transforming Cultural Conflict in an Age of Complexity. Handbook Article
  Michelle LeBaron. 2001  
• Towards Conflict Transformation and a Just Peace. Handbook Article
  Kevin Clements. 2004  

How do we analyse conflicts and violence, and what do these analyses tell us in terms of strategy development?

• A More Violent World? Global Trends in Organised Violence. Handbook Article
  Tara Cooper, Sebastian Merz, Mila Shah. 2011  
• Trends and Causes of Armed Conflict. Handbook Article
  Dan Smith. 2004  
• Early Warning and The Field: A Cargo Cult Science?. Handbook Article
  Alex Austin. 2004  
• Designing Transformation and Intervention Processes. Handbook Article
  Thania Paffenholz. 2004  

One of the most talked about actors in conflict transformation is civil society - what are its roles and potential? What roles do other actors and sectors have, like youth, the business and the security sector? How do state reform and state formation come into play?

• Media-Related Peacebuilding in Processes of Conflict Transformation. Handbook Article
  Rousbeh Legatis. 2015  
• Civil Society and Conflict Transformation: Strength and Limitations. Handbook Article
  Martina Fischer. 2011  
• Security Sector Reform in Developing and Transitional Countries Revisited. Handbook Article
  Herbert Wulf. 2011  
• Conflict Transformation and the Corporate Agenda - Opportunities for Synergy. Handbook Article
  Luc Zandvliet. 2011  
• Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation in the Arab World: The Work of Civil Society Organisations in Lebanon and Morocco. Handbook Article
  Oussama Safa. 2007  
• The Role of Local Business in Peacebuilding. Handbook Article
  Nick Killick, VS Sriantha, Canan Gunduz. 2005  
• Conflict Transformation through State Reform. Handbook Article
  Günter Bächler. 2004  
• Conflict Transformation through Educational and Youth Programmes. Handbook Article
  Stephanie Schell-Faucon. 2001  
• The News Media and the Transformation of Ethnopolitical Conflicts. Handbook Article
  Dusan Reljic. 2004  

Central tools of the trade of conflict transformation and peacebuilding are negotiation, mediation and dialogue. What are their core elements?

• Methods of Third-Party Intervention. Handbook Article
  Ron Fisher. 2001  
• Seeking Compromise? Mediation through the Eyes of Conflict Parties. Handbook Article
  Hans-Joachim Giessmann, Oliver Wils. 2011  
• From Resolution to Transformation: The Role of Dialogue Projects. Handbook Article
  Norbert Ropers. 2004  

Conflict transformation work is also devoted to strengthening the capacities for dealing with conflict peacefully - of individuals, of teams, of institutions. How do communication and facilitation, process design, training, theatre work, media assistance and peace education strengthen the ability to deal with conflict peacefully?

• Creating Clarity in Conflict? Integrating Organisational Development into the Peacebuilding World. Handbook Article
  Torge Kübler. 2020  
• Transformative Scenarios Process: How stories of the future help to transform conflict in the present. Handbook Article
  Mille Bøjer. 2018  
• Emotional Dynamics in Conflict and Conflict Transformation. Handbook Article
  Isabel Bramsen, Poul Poder. 2018  
• Peace Education and Conflict Transformation. Handbook Article
  Uli Jäger. 2014  
• The Art of Seeing: Investigating and Transforming Conflicts with Interactive Theatre. Handbook Article
  Hannah Reich. 2012  
• Preparing for Nonviolence – Experiences in the Western Balkans. Handbook Article
  Nenad Vukosavljevic. 2011  
• Training for Conflict Transformation – An Overview of Approaches. Handbook Article
  Beatrix Austin. 2011  
• The Training Process: Achieving Social Impact by Training Individuals?. Handbook Article
  Dirk Sprenger. 2005  
• Facilitation Skills for Interpersonal Transformation. Handbook Article
  Ron Kraybill. 2004  
• Team and Organisational Development as a Means for Conflict Prevention and Resolution. Handbook Article
  Friedrich Glasl, Rudi Ballreich. 2004  
• Using the Media for Conflict Transformation: The Common Ground Experience. Handbook Article
  Sandra Melone, Georgios Terzis, Ozsel Beleli. 2002  

What opportunities and challenges do post-war reconstruction phases offer? How do development, reconstruction and peacekeeping approaches interact with conflict transformation?

• On Hybrid Political Orders and Emerging States: State-Formation in the Context of 'Fragility". Handbook Article
  Volker Boege, Anne Brown, Kevin Clements, Anna Nolan. 2008  
• Varieties of State-Building in the Balkans: A Case for Shifting Focus. Handbook Article
  Susan Woodward. 2011  
• Recovering from Violent Conflict: Regeneration and (Re-)Integration as Elements of Peacebuilding. Handbook Article
  Martina Fischer. 2004  
• Hawks and Doves: Peacekeeping and Conflict Resolution. Handbook Article
  Wibke Hansen, Oliver Ramsbotham, Tom Woodhouse. 2004  
• The Role of Development Aid in Conflict Transformation: Facilitating Empowerment Processes and Community Building. Handbook Article
  Christine Bigdon, Benedikt Korf. 2004  
• Participatory Action-Research in Post-Conflict Situations: The Example of the War-Torn Societies Project. Handbook Article
  Agneta Johannsen. 2001  

How can societies and individuals deal with the legacies of a violent past, ensuring healing on an individual as well as collective level?

• Transitional Justice and Reconciliation - Theory and Practice. Handbook Article
  Martina Fischer. 2011  
• Supporting Justice, Co-Existence and Reconciliation after Armed Conflict: Strategies for Dealing with the Past. Handbook Article
  Gunnar Theissen. 2004  
• Dealing with the Consequences of Organised Violence in Trauma Work. Handbook Article
  David Becker. 2004  

How do we learn what good conflict interventions do? What are the latest developments in impact assessment and evaluation?

• Evaluating Peacebuilding: Not Yet All It Could Be. Handbook Article
  Cheyanne Scharbatke-Church. 2011  
• "Frameworkers" and "Circlers" – Exploring Assumptions in Impact Assessment. Handbook Article
  Reina C. Neufeldt. 2011  
• Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment Methodology. Handbook Article
  Mark Hoffman. 2004  
• Experiences with Impact Assessment: Can We Know What Good We Do?. Handbook Article
  Mary B. Anderson. 2025