OxPeace Conference 2009: The Serious Study of Peace: Recent Episodes
Oxford University
This Conference was organised by an ad hoc multidisciplinary group in Oxford University, which had begun in 2006 to discuss how to network and raise the profile of the research already being done in Oxford on peace, peacemaking, peacebuilding and peacekeeping. The title ‘The Serious Study of Peace’ underlines that peace was no longer seen merely as a fringe interest but was beginning to take its place in academe as a matter of serious concern to which a wide range of disciplines can contribute. The focus on peace adds a fresh dimension to established disciplines and engenders a distinctive interdisciplinary synergy. The Conference resulted in the creation of the ongoing Oxford Network of Peace Studies (OxPeace), with worldwide contacts, and led to the possibility, once endowments become available, of the establishment of research and teaching posts in peace studies in Oxford.
The conference organizers included Revd Dr Liz Carmichael MBE (Tutor in Theology, St John's), Dr Phil Clark (Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, and Oxford Transitional Justice Research Group), Professor Mary King (Fellow, Rothermere Institute; UN University for Peace), Revd Dr Robin Gibbons (Kellogg), Professor Neil Macfarlane (International Relations), Dr Sondra Hausner (St Peter's; anthropologist, head of Study of Religions in Theology), Dr Hugo Slim (Visiting Fellow: Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict), and Bryony Winn (Rhodes Scholar, M.Phil. Development Studies, Student Assistant).
Breakout session on ‘Post-conflict reconstruction and Peacebuilding’, third talk: Johanna Boersch-Supan, D.Phil. Candidate, Politics and International relations, Oxford University.
Breakout session on ‘Post-conflict reconstruction and Peacebuilding’, second talk: Bjorn Muller-Wille, Royal Military Academy , Sandhurst. As part of a trend to improve the coherence and effectiveness of multidimensional interventions donor states are increasingly willing to invest development assistance in conflict areas; resulting in a strong interest in determining which instruments contribute to a broad array of short term 'stability,' political and security objectives as well as a collection of longer term sustainable development and peace building solutions. These activities have tended to be grouped under the label of the 'stabilisation' agenda and most donor states have faced common challenges in institutionalising and operationalising the growing body of aspirations inherent in this. This has raised questions about which instruments work, what objectives they might reasonably serve and under what conditions they might realistically achieve results. States have also struggled with the process of managing and integrating stabilisation activities delivered by very different government departments and across international institutions. These challenges have contributed to a much broader trend in which donor states and international organisations have sought to professionalise working 'on', rather than just 'in' conflict. It has also focused attention on the role of, synergies between and the overall effectiveness of development activities (broadly defined), the generation or provision of security, institutional capacity building and political outreach in achieving 'stabilisation outcomes'. This paper unpacks many of these issues in the specific contexts of Southern Afghanistan. It places the challenge of evaluation in three 'baskets' — difficulties in establishing 'strategic' and 'operational' priorities; difficulties defining and prioritising 'instruments' and reconciling 'action' with strategy and, thirdly, the difficulties derived from the nature of the operational environment and the ambitious nature of international aspirations. The Afghan case study explores the evolution of NATO's Regional Command South's (RC(S)) operational plans, the development of the RC (South) national contributors' own plans and the range of challenges that have been encountered in monitoring and evaluating both organisational performance and the delivery of higher order objectives. Having identified these challenges it draws attention to the way in which some of these have been addressed and what currently comprises best practice.
Breakout session on ‘Post-conflict reconstruction and Peacebuilding’, first talk: Dr Stuart Gordon, Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. 'Stabilisation' has emerged as a powerful policy discourse guiding international interventions in conflict areas. The UK has been amongst the forefront of states adopting and developing the 'stabilisation' model and has adapted government policy, processes and structures in its efforts to deliver 'stability' in both Iraq and Afghanistan's Helmand Province. Its experience in Helmand in particular is likely to shape both future UK approaches and that of other donor states. Consequently this paper focuses principally on the British experience of stabilisation in Afghanistan's Helmand Province, addressing two elements: firstly, the development, content, perceived distinctiveness and significance of stabilisation as a distinct policy discourse. Secondly the nature and practical policy implications of stabilisation in southern Afghanistan, particularly for humanitarian actors.
Breakout session on ‘Peace and Transitional Justice’, third talk: Lydiah Kemunto Bosire, D.Phil. Candidate, Politics and International Relations, Oxford University. The establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in July 2002 created a permanent forum for prosecuting those held 'most responsible' for crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide, and brought fresh promise to management of past, ongoing, and future conflicts. The ICC's intervention in ongoing conflict is thought to bring peace, even while the mechanisms by which the ICC might result in such peace remain unclear. The contested role of the ICC in Uganda is an example: while at one point the Court was credited for bringing the Government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army rebel group to the table, at a later point the Court was blamed for derailing that same peace process. This paper draws on fieldwork conducted in Uganda in 2007 and 2008 to assess the role the ICC played in the Juba peace talks between the Government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army. Based on interviews with elites involved in the peace process, the paper suggests that the role of the ICC cannot be understood outside the interests and motivations of elite agents.
Breakout session on ‘Peace and Transitional Justice’, second talk: Chris Mahony, D.Phil Candidate, Politics and International Relations, Oxford University.
Breakout session on ‘Peace and Transitional Justice’, first talk: Briony Jones, Ph.D. Candidate, Manchester University; Student Chair, Oxford Transitional Justice Research. In the post Cold War era there has been a shift towards positive peace approaches in response to increases in intrastate conflicts. This has been part of an entrenchment of a liberal peace agenda, increased interventionism, and a greater complexity in peace-building. Such a shift has included a focus on social reconstruction in post-conflict societies and attention to reconciliation as part of transitional justice. Whilst reconciliation's normative project of restoring moral community has rarely been forced to defend itself, recent work on the politics of reconciliation suggest examination is needed on the political community which is implied, and on the dynamics between reconciliation and its citizen. This paper draws on fieldwork undertaken in Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH), a site of massive external peace-building intervention following the 1992-1995 war. One district in Bill did not become part of the two ethnic entities established in the peace accords, Bre'ko District (BD). This place has been hailed as a success story of return and reconciliation, but the experiences of those living in BD suggest a more nuanced approach is needed. The requirements of reconciliation based reforms in BD of an individualized, rights-bearing, and participatory citizen are challenged by experiences of uneven enabling conditions of citizenship and perceptions of a citizenship project which lacks meaning in context.
Breakout session on ‘Grassroots Peacebuilding – and linking it to national and international levels’, second talk: Dr Rama Mani, Centre for International Studies, Oxford University. This presentation addresses two issues. First, it analyses why we have largely failed to stem the tide of violence and political conflict despite significant international attention and resources devoted to conflict prevention, peacemaking and post-conflict peacebuilding since 1989. Second, it proposes an alternative approach to prevent violent conflict and build peace, based on equity, inclusion and creativity. The presentation argues that a reinvigorated two-step approach is required to prevent violent conflict and build peace. The first step is to heal the wounds that cause/d and were aggravated by war, and the second subsequent step is to create anew, to build an integrated, equitable, and inclusive society that does not allow the re-emergence of exclusive and divisive policies and attitudes. International actors have a 'responsibility to protect' but must reflect on why they are often perceived as intervening based on self interest rather than humanitarian values. Crafting and building peace cannot be entrusted to external experts, or to national technocrats and politicians alone: it is a profound cultural, philosophical, artistic and spiritual endeavour that can only be undertaken from within, with the full participation of all sectors of grassroots civil society. Inclusion, integrity and unfettered creativity are the sources of lasting peace.
Breakout session on ‘Grassroots Peacebuilding – and linking it to national and international levels’, first talk: Fr Elias Omondi Opongo, Ph.D. candidate, Dept of Peace Studies, Bradford University. The end of the Cold War marked a new beginning for Non Governmental Organizations' (NGOs) engagement in peacebuilding and conflict transformation at the grassroots and middle level interventions. However, while the last two decades have seen a decrease in inter-state wars, intra-state conflicts escalated, subsequently provoking a gradual paradigm shift in responding to humanitarian crisis in conflict settings: from a relief only approach, to relief-development, and recently to a conflict intervention and peace-building approach. But what are the interactive conflict dynamics that render NGOs as leading age actors in complex emergencies to sustainable peacebuilding processes?
Breakout session on 'The Role of International and Regional Organizations in Peacemaking, Peacebuilding and Peacekeeping', third talk: Dr Jochen Prantl, Oxford University, reflects on a lack of effective learning from peacebuilding experience. This paper highlights the structural impediments to effective coordination and learning in peacebuilding. While the post Cold-War security environment fostered the merger of the security and development agendas and seemed to call for stronger multilateral and multi-level (IGOs, states, NGOS, beneficiaries) partnerships to meet the challenges of managing conflict and building peace, the record has been underwhelming thus far. Review of lessons-learned exercises focusing on coordination illustrates that similar errors and weaknesses are identified in various conflicts, similar lessons are drawn from them, and the same errors and weaknesses re-emerge in later conflicts. This pattern suggests a deeper underlying problem, which will be addressed in the paper.
Breakout session on 'The Role of International and regional Organizations in Peacemaking, Peacebuilding and Peacekeeping,' second talk: Professor Neil MacFarlane, Lester Pearson Professor of International Relations, Oxford University.
Breakout session on 'The Role of International and Regional Organizations in Peacemaking, Peacebuilding and Peacekeeping’, first talk: Miles Tendi, D.Phil. candidate, Dept of Overseas Development, Oxford University.
Breakout session on 'The Study of Peace in Schools and Higher Education’, third talk: Professor Mary King, Fellow, Rothermere Institute, Oxford University.
Breakout session on 'The Study of Peace in Schools and Higher Education’, second talk: Dr Neil Ferguson, Director, Desmond Tutu Centre for War and Peace Studies, Associate Professor of Political Psychology, Liverpool Hope University.
Professor David Johnson, Dept of Comparative Education, Oxford University, on 'Constructing the defences of peace in the "minds of man."' On improving peace education curricula in schools in conflict-affected countries. This paper will examine how the study of peace is pursued in schools in conflict affected countries. It argues that existing curricula on peace education are limited and proposes that if it is 'in the minds of man' that the constructs of war exist, there is need for a more radical approach to a construction of the philosophical and psychological defences of conflict.
Professor David Johnson, Dept of Comparative Education, Oxford University, on 'Constructing the defences of peace in the "minds of man."' On improving peace education curricula in schools in conflict-affected countries. This paper will examine how the study of peace is pursued in schools in conflict affected countries. It argues that existing curricula on peace education are limited and proposes that if it is 'in the minds of man' that the constructs of war exist, there is need for a more radical approach to a construction of the philosophical and psychological defences of conflict.
Breakout session on 'Religion, Peace and Conflict'. Third talk, Imam Monawar Hussein, Eton College and Central Oxford Mosque, on 'Sources for Peacebuilding in Islam.' My talk will revolve around exploring what the primary sources of Islam - the Qur'an and Hadith, have to say about peacemaking and peacebuilding but I shall also seek to draw on specific examples from the 'sirah' literature on the life of the Prophet. Can we extrapolate certain principles from the life of the Prophet that may contribute to a 'model' for potential peacemaking and peacebuilding in contemporary conflicts?
Breakout session on 'Religion, Peace and Conflict'. Third talk, Imam Monawar Hussein, Eton College and Central Oxford Mosque, on 'Sources for Peacebuilding in Islam.' My talk will revolve around exploring what the primary sources of Islam - the Qur'an and Hadith, have to say about peacemaking and peacebuilding but I shall also seek to draw on specific examples from the 'sirah' literature on the life of the Prophet. Can we extrapolate certain principles from the life of the Prophet that may contribute to a 'model' for potential peacemaking and peacebuilding in contemporary conflicts?
Breakout session on 'Religion, Peace and Conflict.' Second talk: Dr David Tombs, Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College, Dublin. on 'Christianity, Peace and Conflict in Northern Ireland'. The role of religion in 'the Troubles' in Northern Ireland has been a topic of considerable debate. Differences over religion were not themselves a direct cause of 'the Troubles', and on one level the Christian churches have consistently opposed violence. Nonetheless, at another level, Northern Ireland's religious divisions between Catholics and Protestants have played a significant role in enabling, sustaining and shaping the political conflict. This paper examines the role of religion in both the course of the conflict, and in the current search for peace and reconciliation.
Breakout session on 'Religion, Peace and Conflict.' Second talk: Dr David Tombs, Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College, Dublin. on 'Christianity, Peace and Conflict in Northern Ireland'. The role of religion in 'the Troubles' in Northern Ireland has been a topic of considerable debate. Differences over religion were not themselves a direct cause of 'the Troubles', and on one level the Christian churches have consistently opposed violence. Nonetheless, at another level, Northern Ireland's religious divisions between Catholics and Protestants have played a significant role in enabling, sustaining and shaping the political conflict. This paper examines the role of religion in both the course of the conflict, and in the current search for peace and reconciliation.
Breakout session on 'Religion, Peace and Conflict.' First talk: Carlo Aldrovandi, Ph.D. candidate, Peace Studies, Univ. of Bradford, on 'Forcing the End Times: US Christian Zionism and Israel'. US Christian Zionism may be characterized as a theo-political movement stemming from American Conservative Evangelicalism, which advocates that at the end of the time Christ will come to rule the world for thousand years before the Last Judgment and that He will do so centred on Greater Israel and focused on Jerusalem. Although difficult to assess, the current proportion of Christian Zionists among the 100-130 million of American Evangelicals (the population of United States is 293 million) could be estimated around 20-25%. In light of an Eschatological fulfilment, Christian Zionist congregations and lobbies, even more dedicated than the majority of Jewish interest groups, provide vast political, financial and practical support to the modern State of Israel. This paper considers the key dynamics underpinning the Apocalyptic understanding of faith amongst Christian Zionists, and the extent to which such dynamics are able to exert a key influence on the Israeli-Palestinian peace processes.
Breakout session on 'Religion, Peace and Conflict.' First talk: Carlo Aldrovandi, Ph.D. candidate, Peace Studies, Univ. of Bradford, on 'Forcing the End Times: US Christian Zionism and Israel'. US Christian Zionism may be characterized as a theo-political movement stemming from American Conservative Evangelicalism, which advocates that at the end of the time Christ will come to rule the world for thousand years before the Last Judgment and that He will do so centred on Greater Israel and focused on Jerusalem. Although difficult to assess, the current proportion of Christian Zionists among the 100-130 million of American Evangelicals (the population of United States is 293 million) could be estimated around 20-25%. In light of an Eschatological fulfilment, Christian Zionist congregations and lobbies, even more dedicated than the majority of Jewish interest groups, provide vast political, financial and practical support to the modern State of Israel. This paper considers the key dynamics underpinning the Apocalyptic understanding of faith amongst Christian Zionists, and the extent to which such dynamics are able to exert a key influence on the Israeli-Palestinian peace processes.
Dr Anke Hoeffler, Centre for the Study of African Economies, Oxford University, gives the second plenary address. She speaks from her work with Professor Paul Collier on the need of the poorest countries for assistance both with development and with structural security, and how to provide both in an acceptable and effective manner.
Dr Anke Hoeffler, Centre for the Study of African Economies, Oxford University, gives the second plenary address. She speaks from her work with Professor Paul Collier on the need of the poorest countries for assistance both with development and with structural security, and how to provide both in an acceptable and effective manner.
Professor Scott Appleby, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame Professor Scott Appleby, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame, gives a plenary address on 'Strategic Peacebuilding for the 21st Century', and the Kroc Institute's aim of designing peace studies to form 'strategic peacebuilders'. At its core, peacebuilding nurtures constructive human relationships. To be relevant it must do so strategically, at every level of society and across the potentially polarizing lines of ethnicity, class, religion and race. This presentation describes an emerging approach to deadly conflict known as strategic peacebuilding - the capacity to recognize and develop strategies to maximize the impact of initiatives for constructive change within a globalized milieu.
Strategic peacebuilding therefore denotes an approach to reducing violence, resolving conflict and building peace that is marked by a heightened awareness of, and skillful adaptation to, the complex and shifting material, geopolitical, economic and cultural realities of our increasingly globalized and interdependent world. Accordingly, peacebuilding that is strategic draws intentionally and shrewdly on the overlapping and imperfectly coordinated presences, activities and resources of various international, transnational, national, regional and local institutions, agencies and movements that influence the causes, expressions and outcomes of conflict. Strategic peacebuilders take advantage of emerging and established patterns of collaboration and interdependence for the purposes of reducing violence and alleviating the root causes of deadly conflict. They encourage the deeper and more frequent convergence of mission, resources, expertise, insight and benevolent self-interest that characterize the most fruitful multilateral collaborations in the cause of peace.
How have elements of the approach emerged in the post cold war world? Who are the relevant partners in this enterprise? What type of skills and training are central to strategic peacebuilding? The presentation will suggest answers to these questions.
Professor Scott Appleby, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame Professor Scott Appleby, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame, gives a plenary address on 'Strategic Peacebuilding for the 21st Century', and the Kroc Institute's aim of designing peace studies to form 'strategic peacebuilders'. At its core, peacebuilding nurtures constructive human relationships. To be relevant it must do so strategically, at every level of society and across the potentially polarizing lines of ethnicity, class, religion and race. This presentation describes an emerging approach to deadly conflict known as strategic peacebuilding - the capacity to recognize and develop strategies to maximize the impact of initiatives for constructive change within a globalized milieu.
Strategic peacebuilding therefore denotes an approach to reducing violence, resolving conflict and building peace that is marked by a heightened awareness of, and skillful adaptation to, the complex and shifting material, geopolitical, economic and cultural realities of our increasingly globalized and interdependent world. Accordingly, peacebuilding that is strategic draws intentionally and shrewdly on the overlapping and imperfectly coordinated presences, activities and resources of various international, transnational, national, regional and local institutions, agencies and movements that influence the causes, expressions and outcomes of conflict. Strategic peacebuilders take advantage of emerging and established patterns of collaboration and interdependence for the purposes of reducing violence and alleviating the root causes of deadly conflict. They encourage the deeper and more frequent convergence of mission, resources, expertise, insight and benevolent self-interest that characterize the most fruitful multilateral collaborations in the cause of peace.
How have elements of the approach emerged in the post cold war world? Who are the relevant partners in this enterprise? What type of skills and training are central to strategic peacebuilding? The presentation will suggest answers to these questions.
At the morning plenary, Saturday 2 May, Revd Dr Liz Carmichael MBE (Oxford University, Theology) introduces the Conference.
At the morning plenary, Saturday 2 May, Revd Dr Liz Carmichael MBE (Oxford University, Theology) introduces the Conference.
Professor Neil MacFarlane, Lester Pearson Professor of International Relations (Oxford) introduces Jonathan Powell to give the keynote address at the Conference dinner, on his experience of peacemaking and implementing peace in Northern Ireland.
Professor Neil MacFarlane, Lester Pearson Professor of International Relations (Oxford) introduces Jonathan Powell to give the keynote address at the Conference dinner, on his experience of peacemaking and implementing peace in Northern Ireland.