COLLECTION
Berghof Handbook for Conflict Transformation

The Berghof Handbook for Conflict Transformation offers a continuously updated online publication platform for both academics and practitioners to review the state of the art, discuss new ideas and exchange experiences in the field of conflict transformation.
The content comes in the form of:
- commissioned state-of-the-art Articles by leading experts (below)
- a Handbook Dialogues Series on cutting-edge or controversial issues by scholars and practitioners from different disciplines and world regions
Concepts of 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
Louis Kriesberg. 2011 - A Systemic Approach: Reflections on Sri Lanka
Norbert Ropers. 2011 - Conflict Transformation: A Multi-Dimensional Task
Hugh Miall. 2004 - Assessing the State-of-the-Art in Conflict Transformation
Cordula Reimann. 2004 - Consilience of Knowledge for Sustained Positive Peace: A response to the Articles by Cordula Reimann and Hugh Miall
Githathevi Kanisin. 2003 - The Civilisation of Conflict: Constructive Pacifism as a Guiding Notion for Conflict Transformation
Dieter Senghaas. 2004
Cross-cutting challenges
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?
- Security and Risk Management for Peacebuilding Organisations
Larissa Fast. 2014 - Human Rights and Conflict Transformation: Towards a More Integrated Approach
Michelle Parlevliet. 2011 - Nonviolent Resistance and Conflict Transformation in Power Asymmetries
Véronique Dudouet. 2008 - Potential and Limits of Traditional Approaches in Peacebuilding
Volker Boege. 2011 - Conflict, Change and Conflict Resolution
Christopher R. Mitchell. 2011 - Gender Relations, Violence and Conflict Transformation
Cilja Harders. 2011 - New Thoughts on Power: Closing the Gap between Theory and Action
Diana Francis. 2011 - Culture, Power Asymmetries and Gender in Conflict Transformation
Diana Francis. 2004 - Transforming Cultural Conflict in an Age of Complexity
Michelle LeBaron. 2001 - Towards Conflict Transformation and a Just Peace
Kevin Clements. 2004
Conflict analysis
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
Tara Cooper, Sebastian Merz, Mila Shah. 2011 - Trends and Causes of Armed Conflict
Dan Smith. 2004 - Early Warning and The Field: A Cargo Cult Science?
Alex Austin. 2004 - Designing Transformation and Intervention Processes
Thania Paffenholz. 2004
Actors and sectors
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
Rousbeh Legatis. 2015 - Civil Society and Conflict Transformation: Strength and Limitations
Martina Fischer. 2011 - Security Sector Reform in Developing and Transitional Countries Revisited
Herbert Wulf. 2011 - Conflict Transformation and the Corporate Agenda - Opportunities for Synergy
Luc Zandvliet. 2011 - Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation in the Arab World: The Work of Civil Society Organisations in Lebanon and Morocco
Oussama Safa. 2007 - The Role of Local Business in Peacebuilding
Nick Killick, VS Sriantha, Canan Gunduz. 2005 - Conflict Transformation through State Reform
Günter Bächler. 2004 - Conflict Transformation through Educational and Youth Programmes
Stephanie Schell-Faucon. 2001 - The News Media and the Transformation of Ethnopolitical Conflicts
Dusan Reljic. 2004
Dialogue, mediation and negotiation
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
Ron Fisher. 2001 - Seeking Compromise? Mediation through the Eyes of Conflict Parties
Hans-Joachim Giessmann, Oliver Wils. 2011 - From Resolution to Transformation: The Role of Dialogue Projects
Norbert Ropers. 2004
Strengthening capacities
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
Torge Kübler. 2020 - Transformative Scenarios Process: How stories of the future help to transform conflict in the present
Mille Bøjer. 2018 - Emotional Dynamics in Conflict and Conflict Transformation
Isabel Bramsen, Poul Poder. 2018 - Peace Education and Conflict Transformation
Uli Jäger. 2014 - The Art of Seeing: Investigating and Transforming Conflicts with Interactive Theatre
Hannah Reich. 2012 - Preparing for Nonviolence – Experiences in the Western Balkans
Nenad Vukosavljevic. 2011 - Training for Conflict Transformation – An Overview of Approaches
Beatrix Austin. 2011 - The Training Process: Achieving Social Impact by Training Individuals?
Dirk Sprenger. 2005 - Facilitation Skills for Interpersonal Transformation
Ron Kraybill. 2004 - Team and Organisational Development as a Means for Conflict Prevention and Resolution
Friedrich Glasl, Rudi Ballreich. 2004 - Using the Media for Conflict Transformation: The Common Ground Experience
Sandra Melone, Georgios Terzis, Ozsel Beleli. 2002
Post-war reconstruction
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"
Volker Boege, Anne Brown, Kevin Clements, Anna Nolan. 2008 - Varieties of State-Building in the Balkans: A Case for Shifting Focus
Susan Woodward. 2011 - Recovering from Violent Conflict: Regeneration and (Re-)Integration as Elements of Peacebuilding
Martina Fischer. 2004 - Hawks and Doves: Peacekeeping and Conflict Resolution
Wibke Hansen, Oliver Ramsbotham, Tom Woodhouse. 2004 - The Role of Development Aid in Conflict Transformation: Facilitating Empowerment Processes and Community Building
Christine Bigdon, Benedikt Korf. 2004 - Participatory Action-Research in Post-Conflict Situations: The Example of the War-Torn Societies Project
Agneta Johannsen. 2001
Transitional justice and reconciliation
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
Martina Fischer. 2011 - Supporting Justice, Co-Existence and Reconciliation after Armed Conflict: Strategies for Dealing with the Past
Gunnar Theissen. 2004 - Dealing with the Consequences of Organised Violence in Trauma Work
David Becker. 2004
Impact assessment and evaluation
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
Cheyanne Scharbatke-Church. 2011 - "Frameworkers" and "Circlers" – Exploring Assumptions in Impact Assessment
Reina C. Neufeldt. 2011 - Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment Methodology
Mark Hoffman. 2004 - Experiences with Impact Assessment: Can We Know What Good We Do?. Handbook Article
Mary B. Anderson. 2021
Thanks for your interest
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