Peace process

A series of talks, agreements and activities designed to end war or violence between two groups. Peace processes may include formal and informal mechanisms, and involve a multitude of actors often over a long period.

Peacebuilding

A generic term to cover all activities intended to encourage and promote peaceful relations and overcoming violence. A long-term process that seeks to positively alter structural contradictions, improve relations between the conflict parties and encourage overall constructive changes in attitudes. It may also refer to activities connected with economic development, social justice, reconciliation, empowerment of disadvantaged/strategic groups and humanitarian support.

Radicalisation

A process of adopting ideologies set apart from mainstream thinking, sometimes going to the roots or perceived pure understandings of religion or politics. Often referring to individuals.

Reconciliation

Strives to provide a common frame of reference for societies to acknowledge the past, creating space for individual/national restoration and healing by changing the nature of the relationship between the conflicting parties as part of a long-term communal relationship-(re-)building process.

Social grievance

The perception of a socially defined group that it suffers from systematic inequality, exclusion, lack of opportunity to satisfy basic needs, and other disadvantage. Social grievance is often at the root of conflict. When groups mobilise, they may take violent or non-violent action to address social grievance. Conflict transformation and peacebuilding support groups and mobilisers in choosing non-violent means while taking grievances seriously.