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In this Dialogue, practitioners and researchers reflect on the conditions of success or failure in peacebuilding and conflict transformation. The lead article expresses a lingering worry that complex economic and environmental crises, international factors of violence and war, and an underlying 'murkiness' of values may overwhelm the best efforts for social change and create a feeling that we are “just wasting our time”. The comments emphasize that values and approaches - as well as the international context, power politics and injustice - should be the objects of critical analysis. Investment in learning, honest self-reflection and critical peace research appear to be a must for effective practice. Others stress a need for more effective public mobilization for the effective prevention of violence. Many additional questions are raised and present food for thought for an ongoing debate.

• Year 2009

It has taken a few feedback loops, and now we proudly present this Dialogue. Norbert Ropers’ lead article lays out a rich array of systemic ideas originating from both research and practice, applied in the context of Sri Lanka. The respondents reflect, among other things, on additional tools and techniques, comparative experiences in Nepal and Kenya and the added value and utility of systemic conflict transformation.

• Year 2008

Systemic thinking encompasses a broad spectrum of theories, principles, methods and techniques which are all rooted in the simple observation that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. In the present article, “Systemic Conflict Transformation (SCT)” refers to the application of systemic thinking to basic challenges in conflict transformation, and a reflection of field practice from a systemic perspective. The goal is to explore, based on concrete practical experiences, how systemic thinking can help to make the transformation of internal conflicts more effective.

• Year 2008
• Author(s) Norbert Ropers

El pensamiento sistémico engloba un amplio espectro de teorías, principios, métodos y técnicas, todos basados en la sencilla observación de que el todo es mucho más que la suma de sus partes. En el presente artículo, “Transformación Sistémica de Conflictos (TSC)” se refiere a la aplicación del pensamiento sistémico a los desafíos básicos presentes en la transformación de conflictos y a la reflexión que se obtiene de una práctica sobre el terreno desde una perspectiva sistémica. El objetivo es valorar, basándose en experiencias prácticas concretas, cómo el pensamiento sistémico puede ayudar a que la transformación de conflictos internos sea más eficiente.

• Year 2008
• Author(s) Norbert Ropers

In his lead article, Christopher Mitchell, Professor Emeritus of George Mason University’s Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR), sets out a framework for thinking systematically about the relationship between conflict and (social) change. He considers necessary changes to bring about the resolution of conflict, as well as obstacles to such changes, and envisions possible roles for agents of change. Five authors have expanded on, and critically reviewed, this lead article: Ed Garcia (International Alert), Chris Spies (UNDP Guyana), Ilana Shapiro (University of Massachusetts), Vivienne Jabri (King's College London) and Daniela Körppen (Berghof Peace Support).

• Year 2006

Questions of effectiveness, impact and evaluation continue to be most relevant for the field of peacebuilding and conflict transformation: Adam Barbolet, Rachel Goldwyn, Hesta Groenewald & Andrew Sherriff report with intimate knowledge on the development of "conflict sensitivity" as an alternative to PCIA; Kenneth Bush sends thought-provoking "field notes", reflecting on his learning in the context of applying PCIA in the South; Thania Paffenholz presents a comprehensive overview of the "Aid for Peace Approach". Short reflection papers by all authors shed light on progress and controversy regarding the new trends in peace and conflict impact assessment.

• Year 2005

This Dialogue sets out to assess the usefulness of current analytic approaches and policy recommendations in dealing constructively with war economies. Starting off with an overview of the state of the debate by Karen Ballentine and Heiko Nitzschke, respondents from a broad variety of backgrounds add their reflections, strategies and critique.

• Year 2005

Violent crises and internal wars are often consequences of the failure of states to provide stability and security for their citizens. International organisations and development agencies, in order to overcome cultures of violence and to support nation-building processes, have focused on security sector reform as an integral part of third-party intervention in recent years. This issue of the Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series examines the arguments for engagement with the security sector and provides an analysis of the dilemmas that arise, along with suggestions for how they might be overcome.

• Year 2004

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.

• Year 2003

The Peace Counts Learning Package was developed in the framework of the project Peace Counts. It is directed to multipliers of peace education who would like to work with stories of peacebuilders around the world.

• Year 2015
• Author(s) Uli Jäger, Nadine Ritzi, Anne Romund