Our Library

Highlights conflict transformation approaches as necessarily having to deal with the closely linked categories of power asymmetries, gender inequality and cultural difference. The author argues that an overarching, global culture of domination exists. The emancipation of marginalised groups stimulates, and results from, the fundamental culture shift which conflict transformation implies. (revised for 2004 print edition).

• Year2004
• Author(s)Diana Francis

Describes the most important skills and tools facilitators need in order to enhance capacities at the individual and interpersonal level. The author presents: skills used in moment-by-moment interaction with parties; techniques for facilitating sustained dialogue; and principles of process design for addressing the larger institutional and structural realities of conflicts. (revised for 2004 print edition)

• Year2004
• Author(s)Ron Kraybill

Writers in the field of conflict studies often use key terms in loose and contradictory ways, reflecting the reality that concepts have not been clearly defined. To encourage coherent usage of these terms the following definitions have been adopted for the purposes of the Berghof Handbook for Conflict Transformation. Nevertheless individual authors on occasion have used some terms in a specific way in relation to the particular argument in their chapter. In these circumstances the special use of the term is clearly explained and otherwise the following definitions are general usage in the Handbook.

• Year2004

Preface to the 2004 print edition of the Berghof Handbook, "Transforming Ethnopolitical Conflict".

• Year2004
• Author(s)Martina Fischer, Norbert Ropers

Discusses theoretical questions concerning the civilised management of conflicts. The author proposes that, if civil or international war is a result of anarchy, then it only can be addressed by a social order built at national, regional and international levels. The author presents a model of complex peace architecture, i.e. the "civilisational hexagon". (revised for 2004 print edition)

• Year2004
• Author(s)Dieter Senghaas

Presents proposals for reporting on ethnopolitical conflicts in a manner that fosters peace. The author offers a basic model to explain the impact of media, as well as discussing NGO activities and a proposal for reform efforts on the European level. (revised for 2004 print edition)

• Year2004
• Author(s)Dusan Reljic

Offers a general overview and tentative interpretation of the state of the art in the field. The author introduces three distinct approaches: conflict settlement, conflict resolution and conflict transformation. She reviews the field's research agenda and research questions, and the role of theory and methodology. (revised for 2004 print edition)

• Year2004
• Author(s)Cordula Reimann

Reviews the state of the art in evaluation, focusing on peace and conflict impact assessment (PCIA) methodology from three perspectives: traditional donor evaluations; assessment methodologies in development work; evaluations of conflict resolution and peacebuilding NGOs. (revised for 2004 print edition)

• Year2004
• Author(s)Mark Hoffman

The articles by Hugh Miall and Cordula Reimann in Berghof Handbook for Conflict Transformation (2001) attempt to map out a distinct theory of conflict transformation, but in the process they present the field of conflict resolution as a problem-solving theory (herein after, referred individually as ‘Article 1’ and ‘Article 2’, and collectively as ‘the Articles’). Conflict resolution is represented in the Articles by singularity of strategy, target group and as envisaging an end point to conflicts, when parties arrive at a ‘positive sum outcome’ (Miall, 2001:3; Reimann, 2001:13). This leads to a claim that conflict resolution is a relatively simplistic approach to contemporary conflicts (Miall, 2001:1), hence the Articles consider and develop conflict transformation as a more realistic approach to protracted violent conflict situations

• Year2003
• Author(s)Githathevi Kanisin

Over the last ten years, interest in conflict prevention and peacebuilding activities has increased significantly. As a result of this interest, there is a high demand for "model" projects, examples of good practice and "lessons learned" which can be transferred to other projects and regions. Supply, though, does not match this demand. There are still no quick and easy answers to the question of how best to assess, monitor and evaluate peace practices. On the contrary, experience shows that assessing and measuring the impact and outcomes of peacebuilding activities is actually a very complicated task. The articles and comments in this first issue of the Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series reflect the state of the art in peace and conflict impact assessment (PCIA) from a variety of angles.

• Year2003