Paragon House International Journal On World Peace

Paragon House
DISCIPLINARY EVOLUTION OF PEACE AND CONFLICT STUDIES: AN OVERVIEW

Author(s): Shaheen Showkat Dar
Source: International Journal on World Peace, Vol. 34, No. 1 (MARCH 2017), pp. 45-79
Published by: Paragon House
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/45014364
Accessed: 11-06-2021 11:21 UTC
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide
range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and
facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
https://about.jstor.org/terms
Paragon House is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to
International Journal on World Peace
This content downloaded from 196.4.80.2 on Fri, 11 Jun 2021 11:21:28 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
DISCIPLINARY EVOLUTION OF
PEACE AND CONFLICT STUDIES:
AN OVERVIEW
Shaheen Showkat Dar UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Inst, of Kashmir Studies

University of Kashmir
Srinagar, 190006
J&K State
India
Shaheen Showkat is focused on strategic studies and presently working as post-Docto

Fellow of Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), at UNSECO, Institute
Kashmir Studies, University of Kashmir. Email: daratunipune@gmail.com
Acknowledgement: Special thanks to the funding agency ICSSR, New Delhi, th
Director, the Coordinator and the Staff members of UNSECO, IKS University of Kashm
Editor-in-Chief, IJWP, and anonymous reviewers.
Peace is needed to perform peaceful Every gun that is made, every warship
actions for the blossoming of
launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the
truth, love, harmony, happiness,
and cooperation among humans final sense, a theft from those who hunger
across the ethnic, racial, religious, and are not fed, those who are cold and
and national borders. War feeds the
are not clothed. This world in arms is not
greed of political gods, serves their
emotional utopias, and spills blood spending money alone. It is spending the
through conflicts. A response to sweat of its laborers, the genius of its sci-
this has been the evolution of Peace
entists, the hopes of its children. The cost of
and Conflict Studies as an academic
discipline, exploring knowledge one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern
brick school in more than 30 cities.
associated with the causes of conflict,
war, and sustainable peace. The ( D wight D. Eisenhower, 1963) 7
primary objective is to search for
peaceful, profitable, and dignified Peace is needed to perform peaceful
approaches through education,
research, and practice, and findingactions for the blossoming of truth,
appropriate methods in preventing, love, harmony, happiness, and coopera-
transforming, managing, and tion among humans across the ethnic,
resolving conflicts among citizens
and states. This article outlines racial, religious, and national borders
the disciplinary evolution of Peaceto work with each other. War feeds the
and Conflict Studies in the broader
greed of political gods, serves their
context. In particular, it explores key
periods and phases through which
emotional utopias, and spills blood
the discipline has emerged and through conflicts. A decade of war
evolved.
causes generations to cry and creates
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

VOL. XXXIV NO. 1 MARCH 2017 45
DISCIPLINARY EVOLUTION OF PEACE AND CONFLICT STUDIES
shadows of pain for centuries. In the contemporary world of scie

technology, one day of scientific war with diabolical nuclear bom
silence all life on earth in hours. It is our responsibility to promote
train our minds, and encourage civilized and dignified approaches to
and conflict based on an accurate description of reality rather t
convenience of our hearts. For centuries, democracy achieved p
and replaced the dictatorship, but has failed to bring peaceful intern
relations. Social and political thinkers have explored an array of theo
concepts to understand the conflict, its causes, consequences, and co
during pre-war situations, but this has still not led to the abolition
Peace is in transition and has not replaced the wars, even though
who are developing scholarship in the universe of peace are actually
ing against conflicts and wars. One
It is our responsibility problem
to of permanently establishing
promote peace, train our peace is the perpetual rise of antihu-
man elements within and outside
minds, and encourage
state borders harboring the antitheses
civilized and dignified
of peace - terrorism. No state in the
approaches to peace
contemporary geopolitical landscape is
and conflict based on an
free from violence, but history reveals
accurate description of that when humans tire of bloodying
reality rather than the one another, the final outcome is in
convenience of our hearts. the form of peace negotiations or trea-
ties. From the Eternal Treaty2 to the
emergence of United Nations organization, all peace treaties, negotiations,
leagues, or organizations follow on the heels of lethal wars. In spite of rati
fying peace treaties, states failed to permanently establish peace due to ne
or other factors. For example, the Treaty of Versailles and the League
Nations failed because Italy, Germany, and Japan withdrew their member-
ship. Though India and Pakistan signed a cease-fire agreement and peac
treaty in 2003, they failed to honor it. Due to geopolitical, ethnic, an
religious disputes, internal and external rivalries between states and wh
Samuel Huntington calls "Clash of Civilizations," states engage in war
when security becomes a priority or when national interest is threatened.
Moreover, non-state actors across the globe are the organized clusters that
kill and destroy for power and glory. At the organizational and institution

46 VOL. XXXIV NO. 1 MARCH 2017
AN OVERVIEW
level, there are more people engaged in the development of the we

of mass destruction rather than in the construction of peace. It is
time to put more effort into the knowledge and propagation of Peace
Conflict Studies than strategies for conflict and war, particularly kee
in mind the imminent risk of a nuclear war.
Since the creation of the nation state system in 1648, there have been
hundreds of wars with immense loss causing millions of human deaths and
damage to property worth billions. In the twentieth century we survived
two World Wars, 1914to 1918and 1939 to 1945, costing the lives of more
than 60 to 70 million people. The massive amount of killing and destruction
of these wars caused the growth of peace and anti-war sentiments which
appealed to the intellect of many scholars across the disciplines to initi-
ate peaceful international relations.
Their main drive was to spread theThe massive amount of
culture of peace through research killing and destruction of
and develop new perspectives onmodern wars caused the
peace and conflict, and explore the
growth of peace and anti-
causes and consequences of various
war sentiments which
forms of conflict. In addition, they
appealed to the intellect
devised the means for constructively
addressing conflict with nonviolentof many scholars across
approaches. This has brought outthe disciplines to initiate
a new academic discipline, knownpeaceful international
variously as peace research, conflictrelations.
analysis, conflict resolution, but com-
monly called Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS). In this context, the term
peace is used as a basic or minimum condition for cooperation and conflict
as the initial level of the cause of war and violence.
Peace and Conflict Studies is one of the fast emerging interdisciplinary
subjects in the academic universe of the 2 1st century. The subject is the out-
come of thought that it is not desirable that human decisions and resources
should be invested in mutual destruction by engaging millions of humans
in fighting wars and killing one another. Rather, such resources should be
devoted for mass construction of peace by means such as research, dia-
logues, negotiations, and reconciliations. This approach stresses converting
hostility into a peaceful society in both national and international relations.

There are two interconnected but challenging issues before the w

munity today regarding a peaceful world order: how to encou
to use decisions for peace in warlike situations, and how to establi
talks with non-state actors, whether ethnic, political, or religious
are the principal drivers of violence and conflict across the globe
peace and war are born twins in human relations, and one is as
other, it is transparently visible that war is a greater threat to t
life and has swallowed millions of lives throughout the course
history. Peace Studies has directed the intellectuals to develop
on the issues of peace and conflict in national and internationa
This approach has led to the emergence of peace and conflict
essential aspect of western culture. The main purpose for deve
cross-disciplinary subject is to promote an understanding of the d
consequences of war and violence and find solutions that lead t
this context, it is essential to put the discipline in a conceptual fr
that shows how it has evolved in phases.
THE ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF PEACE AND

CONFLICT STUDIES
There are various narratives about the evolution of peace a

studies as how it emerged as an academic discipline across th
narratives are integrated in the developing scholarship of the d
peace and conflict studies. The primary motivations of the d
rooted in religious texts, diverse ideas of "pacific philosophy
tions to the catastrophic wars of the twentieth century. In t
times, the Baghati and Sufi movements also cherished the id
through the teachings on self-control, truth, brotherhood, and
Here peace is conceived as a spiritual state3 in which the indi
to transcend preoccupations with the ego driven self and m
the virtues. One transforms an ego-driven personality which
cause of conflict, negative behavior, jealousy, greed, anger, and
together, these factors have created an awareness to constru
knowledge to make peace superior to the any other human a
knowledge forms the basis for a coherent platform for Peace an
Studies. In peace discussion, wisdom dictates that peace is soc

AN OVERVIEW
and conflict is an illness that should be communicated loudly to

institutionalization of violence. It is evident that peace is a human g
one of the most cherished human values that, although difficult to
is important for the biological and cultural survival of life. Consequ
after the perpetual loss of human beings in wars and conflicts,
for peace, and the emergence of peace treaties, leads to the emer
peace and conflict studies.
In the aftermath of war, peace is primarily focused on happiness
mony, safety, and goodness as well as a tension-free state of affairs
facet of life. The opposite of this is active conflict that produces unh
insecurity, death, and the destruction of life. Therefore, work for p
development exclusively indicates "work against conflict" (Galtun
p. xiii)4 and destruction. In this context, peace and conflict stud
academic discipline, is more inclined
towards the philosophy of pacifism
I would prefer to think
with the belief that wars are bad and
of peace and conflict as
destructive, and the affirmation that
two opposite conditions
peace is good. Peace and conflict are
of wellness and illness.
two different and opposite states of
Peace and conflict are two
affairs with different physical, material,
and cultural outcomes. Their existence differentand opposite
is like light and darkness, day and situations, so why should
night. I would prefer to think of peacewe study them together?
and conflict as two opposite condi -
tions of wellness and illness (Galtung, 2006, p. 1-2).5 Peace is societal well
ness and conflict is societal illness with one eliminating the other. The k
argument arises here that peace and conflict are two different and oppo
situations, so why should we study them together? This intellectual quer
can be answered with the fact that wellness and illness are inseparabl
understanding its causes, effects, and subsequent consequences for pe
Therefore, the study of peace without the study of conflict is a disor
nized and unproductive approach. Similarly, a study of conflict with
aspirations for peace is meaningless. Hypothetically, peace and conflict ar
integrated and mutually dependent on theoretical and empirical meth
of assumptions, observations, and experiments. In times of peace (w
ness), society needs to build knowledge for its sustainability and prev

the causes of conflict (illness) or, if conflict (illness) occurs, the

methods of conflict prevention, transformation, management, and r
tion should be available before the situation turns into war and p
violence. Understanding conflict can deter the disputants from b
the peace and making war. As British strategic thinker Basil Lidd
once wrote, "ifyou want peace, understand war" (Brian, H., 2014,
Because peace and conflict cannot be considered separately, it is impo
for diagnostic reasons, to study them together in one discipline. Kee
view this analytical context, we can divide the emergence of the aca
evolution of peace and conflict studies into four phases related to im
international developments.
1 . Evolutionary phase, beginning with the Thirty- Years War.

2. Post-evolutionary phase, World Wars, 1914 to 1945.
3. Institutional developments, Cold War 1945 tol990.
4. Contemporary phase, post- Cold War.
EVOLUTIONARY PHASE
The evolutionary phase of peace and conflict studies refers

from the creation of the nation state system to the First
(1648-1914). During this period, many wars took place in
in other parts of the world, including religious wars betwee
and Catholics that plunged Europe into a destructive war si
lasted for thirty years (1618-1648). It was one of the mos
and longest conflicts in the history of Europe which forever c
way nation-states interact with each other. One of the mo
developments during the Thirty- Years-War was the work of H
father of International Law, in 1625, and author of On the Law
Peace (De Jure Belli ac Pacis ) in which he emphasized that w
able only if a country faces imminent danger and the use of f
necessary and proportionate to the threat.7 His work dictat
peace and humanitarian treatment that is supposed to be th
preserving life and foundation of every blessing.8 However, at t
longstanding conflict, a novel sense prevailed among the lon
conflicting parties in the form of Westphalian treaties of peac
One of the major outcomes of these treaties was to retain peac

AN OVERVIEW
social and political mechanism for abolishing war. Therefore, the end of
Thirty- Years-War is recognized as a pre-developmental phase of peace a
conflict studies, in a sense, that thinking about peace and conflict begin
means and methods of peace treaties and approaches. The developmen
the humanist ideas of Hugo Grotius, whose philosophy of natural law ha
major impact on the development of seventeenth century political thou
and on the moral theories of the Enlightenment, launched a platform f
the development of peace in the subsequent decades.
First Europe, and then North America, were the centers of 17t
and 18th century wars, which resulted in an overwhelming debate
documentation among the Europeans on the writings pertaining to
significance of peace and conflict. The philosophical and political wri
can be traced from the times of Hugo
Grotius work in 1625 and Thomas
During the Thirty Years
Hobbes' work Leviathan (1651),
which explores the causes of war and
War, Hugo Grotius wrote
On the Law of War and
the conditions of peace. Both were
contemporaries and the victims of Peace, emphasizing that
war is only justifiable
wars in their respective nation and
pleaded for peace. Hobbes insisted defend an imminent
to
danger,
that man is basically selfish and is liv- and the response
ing in the state of war so a powerfulmust be proportionate to
government is required to maintain
the threat.
peace. Grotius focused on the legal
rules for the development of peace.
Long before Hobbes, Plato and Thucydides wrote about war among city-
states in the context of peace and justice (Carolyn, 1999, p. 812)10 Later,
John Locke philosophized about the theme of peace through tolerance;
he published a series of works from 1689-1692 - A Letter Concerning
Toleration, I, II, and III. Toleration and peace are central to his political
philosophy (Locke, 1689, p.1-8)11 Then after fifty years, the Spanish war
of succession occurred (1701-1714) in Europe, involving several states. It
was the largest scale European war after the Thirty Years War. During this
period, the most influential work was carried out by Abbe De St. Pierre in
1712, titled as Project for Perpetual Peace. In it, he stated that "my design
is to propose means for settling an everlasting peace among all the Christian

states." His project for perpetual peace went through several mod
and revised editions (Patrick, 1974-75, p. 186). 12 Immanuel Kant
a significant contribution peace studies through his Perpetual Peace
in which he laid some preliminary articles concerning perpe
among nations. He strongly insisted that, "no treaty of peace sha
valid in which there is tacitly reserved matter for a future war."
refuted the idea of war latent in peace treaties. Kant's work is co
landmark in the development of peace and conflict studies.
A new wave of conflicts occurred in the late 18 th century, ma
ing the American Revolution (1775-1783) and French Revolut
1799) which sparked a series of Napoleonic Wars in Europe (1
Then, in the 19th century there was the Congress ofVienna (
the Vienna System (1815-48), the
Crimean War (1853-56), the war for
Immanuel Kant made a
Italian unification waged by Cavour
significant contribution toand Garibaldi (1859-61), the Wars
peace studies through his of German unification (1864-71),
Perpetual Peace ( 1 795), the Bismarckian system of operation
where he insisted that, "no (1871-90), Imperial Wars (1890-
treaty of peace shall be held
1907). All these wars culminated
valid in which there is tacitly
in the First World War. These wars
reserved matter for a future were highly destructive in nature
war." and caused the emergence of a new
scholarship on the study of peace
and conflict in various disciplines.
The main objective was to construct a theoretical and conceptual frame-
work intended to reshape the behavior of conflicting parties by means and
methods of peaceful dialogue.
This new scholarship was indebted to academicians and philosophers
including Voltaire (1694-1778), a French historian and philosopher, who
talked of peace through tolerance, and wrote "perptual peace can only be
established and achieved through tolerance" (Patrick, 1974-75, p. 193-94). 14
Rousseau (1712-1778), a political philosopher who opposed war and tyran-
nies, analyzed the roots of violence and the causes of conflicts rather than its
manifestations in pursuit of peace.15 Adam Smith (1723-1790), a pioneer
of political economy, wrote of peace and war through the principles of war

AN OVERVIEW
economies, deaths and debts, and peace by means of economic well

and trade among nations.16 Thomas Jefferson, a sincere pacifist and p
cian, described "peace as a natural state of humanity and war as an art
institution."17 All these scholars focused on the ethical and practical i
concerning with various kinds of conflicts by developing a calculated re
ing. Immanuel Kant's Perpetual Peace (1795) is a comprehensive mo
peace for the future in the world in which more favorable conditions
emerged since last 200 years.18 John Stuart Mill wrote about peace th
liberty of free discussions of ideas. According to him, liberty means "li
of thought and feeling; absolute freedom of opinion and sentiment
subjects, practical or speculative, scientific, moral, or theological."19 T
basics of liberty can survive only in peaceful conditions.
These scholarly efforts did not stop or abolish the occurrence of con
oppression, and war. And, since the time of these thinkers, new is
conflict have devastated the peace, and consequently, many explan
have been put forward to address the societal illness. In this respec
influential works of Karl Marx (1818-1883) which emphasized the
of class conflict and capitalist manifestation are significant. Later on,
same theme was followed by Vladimir Lenin (1870-1934). By elabor
Marxism, Lenin taught that capitalism and imperialism were the main
of conflicts and wars for radical societal transformation. But regardle
progress in thoughts about peace and conflict, it was clear that wa
violence still occurred and, finally, religious thoughts and practice we
incorporated in maintaining peace and resolving conflict. There is
evidence that teachings relating to peace and moral obligation had
existed in Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and other religions. All
religions encourage peace and lay emphasis on the undeveloped spir
ity at the foundation of worldly conflicts. William Penn (1644-171
the first American champion of liberty and peace and pleaded for reli
toleration.20 Russian author Leo Tolstoy wrote a novel titled War and
in 1869, which intertwines the lives of private and public individuals
the time of the Napoleonic wars and the French invasion of Russia. In
middle of 19th century United States was engaged with war with M
(1846-1848) and Henry David Thoreau called the war immoral, a s
threat to our new nation's values of freedom and liberty. He even ref
to pay tax and declared a public statement: "I refuse to support the w

He also wrote an essay on Civil Disobedience in 1849 which subse

became a powerful tool for Mahatma Gandhi in India's struggle for f
from the British yoke. During the 19th and early 20th centuries
engagements became evident in North America, Britain, and oth
of Europe. Anti-war religious organizations and peace societies
put efforts to end the conflicts. Most religions teach against violenc
many pacifists believe that any form of violence and war is a sin
the wish of God.22 Islam says, "O you who believe, do not prohi
things that are made lawful by God, and do not aggress; God disl
aggressors" [ 5 :87] . "If they resort to peace, so shall you, and put yo
in God, He is the Hearer, the Omniscient," [8:61]. "... if they le
alone, refrain from fighting you, and offer you peace, then God giv
no excuse to fight them." [4:90]23 Thou shalt not kill (Exodus 2
Keeping in view these facts, the evo-
In the early 1900s there lution of peace and conflict studies
were legal conventions have roots in philosophy, theology
pertaining to wars, e.g. the
and then other modalities of social
Hague Conventions (1899
sciences. In early 1900, there were
and 1907), and idealists who
legal conventions pertaining to
promoted peace societieswars, e.g. the Hague Conventions
and the Hague had a (1899 and 1907), and idealists
significant impact on the who promoted peace societies and
role
the
in the development of Peace Hague had a significant impact
and Conflict Studies. on the role in the development of
Peace and Conflict Studies.
POST EVOLUTIONARY PHASE: WORLD WARS

1914 TO 1945
The first half of the twentieth century was one of the most turbulent pe
in world history. The foundational period of peace and conflict stu
refers to the developments from the First World War (1914-1918) u
the end of the Second World War (1939-1945). The consequences of
Second World War are briefly discussed in the next section of this p
In this section, we will focus on the period ranging from the beginning
the First World War to the end of the Second World War. The First Wor

AN OVERVIEW
War, once called the "Great War" involved most of the major Eu
powers. By the end, it had destroyed millions of lives and property w
billions. Almost every region of the world was directly and indi
involved in this war. According to one estimate, the total number of d
in all nations who fought in this war are estimated to have been 8.5 m
with 21 million being wounded.25 These mass killings and huge eco
loss resulted in an innovative growth of pacifism among various s
political, and economic peace movement organizations. The object
these movements was to generate an anti-war sentiment and enco
the peaceful conduct of national and international relations. Accord
Ishiyama and Breuning "the calamity of World War I and the horr
human toll it brought about led to the new efforts to understand, pr
and ultimately eliminate war."26
In the post-World War I years, the most important development in
peace and conflict was the organizational approach to bring about
and put efforts to construct institutions to reduce the causes of war.2
First World War concluded with a series of talks called Treaties of
(1919-1920) to ensure world peace. A number of treaties were sign
the end ofWorld War I. These treaties include Treaty ofVersailles (Jun
1919), Treaty of Saint- Germain (Sept. 10, 1919), Treaty ofNeuilly
27, 1919), Treaty of Trianon (June 4, 1920), and Treaty of Sevres
10, 1920).2 These treaties inspired governments to create the Lea
Nations in 1920. Inspired by Immanuel Kant's ideas, this was the
global institutional effort to maintain world peace and prevent
wars. Though war-like situations and peace-making efforts were
on simultaneously, peace was an elusive ideal because war-like cond
still existed, particularly in Europe. Thus, the effort of the idealists c
not bring positive results. Some reasons include the fact that the US n
joined the League, and Italy, Germany and Japan did not follow th
enants of the League of Nations or honor the Kellogg- Briand Pact ( 19
Japan attacked Manchuria and occupied it (1932), Italy attacked Et
(1935), and Germany attacked Poland (1939). All these hostilities
the emergence of World War II and failure of peace efforts.
The alarming consequences ofWorld War I also impacted other so
organizations of Europe to promote peace and project an anti-war cult
These organizations include the formation of the Dada Art Move

which was an anti-war movement in Europe and New York fro

1923. The religious nongovernmental organizations and group
mobilized to stop wars. In 1914, the inter-faith Fellowship of Rec
(FOR) was organized at a gathering in Cambridge, England to
message of peace and anti-war culture. The progress led to the fo
of American FOR in 1915 and finally, the International Faith
of Reconciliation (IFOR) was established in 1919.29 The main
IFOR was to promote methods of non-violence, reconciliation, and
and empower the youth for peacemaking. The union of these org
with European and North American
societies worked as a force to foster
Quincy Wright wrote Athe respective governments in 1928
Study of War in 1942, the
to sign the Kellogg-Briand Pact,
product of his 15-year which outlawed wars. According to
interdisciplinary research
the Article I of this pact, "the Parties
project. Wright investigated
agree that the settlement or solution
the history and causes ofof
all disputes or conflicts of whatever
war from preemptive conflict
nature or of whatever origin, they
onwards. This marked the may be, which may arise among
foundation of what we call them, shall never be sought except
"peace research" or peace by pacific means."30
The institutional or academic
and conflict studies. Thus,
efforts to explore new methods of
academic peace and conflict
peace and conflict studies include the
studies can be traced to
issues of the arms race, revolutions,
before World War II.
wars, and peacemaking. Scholarly
research was conducted by a Russian
sociologist Pritim Sorokin, who wrote a classical book The Sociology
Revolution in 1925. After years, a group of American psychologists, Joh
Dollard, Leonard William Doob, and others, contributed to peace
conflict research by writing a book on Trustration and Aggression in 193
Both of these books gave an in-depth sociological and psychological analys
of conflicts, that wars and violence are harming the human efforts in pu
suit of peaceful existence and survival at individual and social level. Th
Quincy Wright wrote a monumental book A Study of War in 1942, t
product of his 15-year interdisciplinary research project. Wright investiga

AN OVERVIEW
the history and causes of war from preemptive conflict onwards and, in
subsequent edition in 1965, the project went on to look over the evoluti
of nuclear weapons.31 This book is the foundation of what we call at
present time "peace research"32 or peace and conflict studies. Thus, p
and conflict studies as an interdisciplinary field, can be traced to befor
Second World War.
THE INSTITUTIONAL AND ACADEMIC PHASE:

COLD WAR ERA 1946-1990.
The era from 1946 to 1990 is the most important phase in the ac
development of peace and conflict studies. The majority of schola
of the opinion that peace and conflict studies, as a distinct field of st
has its proper and institutional evolution in the post-Second Wor
or the years of 1950s.33 The massive number of killings and destruct
World War II further spurred the world community to develop w
international relations. The lesson learned from the overkill use of nuclear
weapons against Japan at the end of World War II has transformed thought
from concern about large numbers of human deaths to the survival of
human life itself. In World War II, 1 in 22 Soviet citizens were killed, 1 in
25 Germans, 1 in 46 Japanese, 1 in 150 British, and 1 in 500 Americans.34
The horrible consequences of the war rekindled the pro-peace thoughts
and anti-war sentiments on academic fronts. The discourse begins with
the idea that research should be conducted on issues of peace and conflict
independent of each other. This led to developments at the institutional
level in Europe and America that were accepted globally.
After World War II, governmental and nongovernmental programs
were initiated to prevent future wars by building international institutions
and organizations to promote a culture of peace by means of reconciliation
between adversaries. This led to an expanded global effort for cooperation
for peace among nations and to the formation of the United Nations in
1945, a new effort to prevent the future generations from scourge of war.
In 1946, in Caux, Switzerland, a series of conferences were held under the
patronage of an international conference for the reconciliation of European
states and people who had been in the midst of an intense conflict. They
held workshops and brought together people at many levels of government

and society to develop mutual understanding and a sense of amne

philosophy of peace through reconciliation was encouraged and
out by a nongovernmental interfaith peace organization known a
Re-Armament.35 These developments were primary major contribut
the peace and conflict research in Europe and North America.
Other important developments in peace and conflict studies
rooted in the various conflicts and crises associated with the global c
called the Cold War. This was a dangerous conflict because of the
threat, but was managed throughout the period without a firing
nuclear weapon. The classical reference is of the Cuban Missile
1962, which had the potential of causing a nuclear war, but was m
through effective negotiation. Non-
official high-level meetings at the
Other important Pugwash and the Dartmouth confer-
developments in peace and
ences (1957, 1960) provided a kind
conflict studies were rooted of assistance to US-USSR negotia-
in the various conflicts tions on issues of arms control. Many
and crises associated with scholars consider the 1950s and
the global conflict called1960s as the academic foundation of
the Cold War. This was a peace and conflict studies, mainly in
the United States. The research and
dangerous conflict because
of the nuclear threat. theories were very much focused on
devising the methodology to prevent
and demoralize, if not completely
eliminate, wars because of nuclear consequences.
The years from 1946 to 1960 yielded some research and writings on
issues of peace and conflict. In 195 1 , a group of scholars from various fields
established an organization to promote research on the issues of peace
and war. And in 1952, they began publishing the Bulletin of the Research
Exchange and Prevention of War. Within years, the Research Exchange and
Prevention of War organized group discussions at the academic convention
which included Quincy Wright and Pitirim Sorokin. In 1954-55, a group
of scholars established the Center for Advanced and Behavioral Sciences
(CASBS) at Stanford to conduct research on various social conflicts. They
included economist Kenneth Boulding, Anatol Raproport, a mathematical
biologist, and Stephen Richardson, a sociologist. Richardson brought two

AN OVERVIEW
unpublished books by his father, Lewis Richardson, Statistics of De

Quarrels and Arms and Insecurity, which became important for mathem
cal modeling in the study of issues of war and peace. This led the C
founders to the decision to start a cross-disciplinary journal that w
replace the Bulletin of the Research Exchange. This new publication
named the Journal of Conflict Resolution: A Quarterly for Research Re
to War and Peace at the University of Michigan. The journal began publ
tion in 1957 as the first journal in the newly emerging field of peace a
conflict and was guided by an interdisciplinary board headed by Ken
Boulding. Then in 1959, the group established Center for Research
Conflict Resolution at the same university. The Journal of Conflict Resol
and Center for Research on Conflict Resolution jointly focused on i
of peace and conflict which gave rise to national and international
associations in various parts of the world.
In 1960, the Journal of Peace Research was established to develop sch
arship on peace research and the Council on Peace Research in His
(CPRH) in the United States was established in 1963. The Japan Pe
Research Group (JPRG) and Canadian Peace Research and Educa
Research (CPREA) were formed in 1963 and 1964 respectively. In t
1964, the Journal of Peace Research developed typologies of peace
scientific context. In the founding issue, a leading peace scholar, J
Galtung, proposed two types of peace: positive peace and negative p
He conceived "negative peace as the absence of violence, absence of wara
positive peace as the integration of human Society."36 Then, the P
Research Institute in Oslo, Norway, which had begun as part of the Insti
of Social Research, became independent in 1966. The main focus of t
institutes and the journals was predominately theorizing and broadenin
concepts of peace and conflict articulated by Johan Galtung particularl
"positive" and "negative" peace. The other institute established around t
time was the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPA
1966), which remains concerned with the core issues of peace and confl
studies and prevention of biological weapons and disarmament.
During the 1970s and 1980s, peace and conflict studies got furt
impetus from two different international developments. One was
independence of Indian subcontinent in 1947 from the U.K. by pra
ing the Gandhian philosophy of non-violence. In the 1970s, the Gan

philosophy of non-violence ( Ahimsa ) and truth (Satyagraha) w

to the curriculum of peace and conflict studies courses. Another
the anti-Vietnam War movements that gave rise to the right to t
protest against wars and other associated social evils in the pr
pedagogy of peace and conflict studies participants. Consequen
movements aided new ideas that resistance movements could be conducted
constructively without producing much violence and develop confidence-
building measures among conflicting states. A chronology of national and
international developments in peace and conflict studies during this insti-
tutional and academic phase are listed in Table 1 below on pages 58-62.
Table 1. Chronology of Publications and Institutional

Developments of Peace and Conflict Studies: 1942-1990
Year Publication on Peace and Institutional developments/

Conflict Studies Events
1942 Quincy Wright, A Study of War

1945 Theodore Lenz's peace research
laboratory, St. Louis; Instit
Francais de polemologie
1947 U.S Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service established
1948 Universal Declaration of Human

Rights adopted by th
General Assembly; Man
College in Indiana (U
lished first peace prog
as "problems of war a
1950 Cantril, H., Tension that Causes
Wars
1952 Bulletin of the Research Exchange

on the Causes of War
1956 L. Coser, The Functions of Social
Conflict
1957 Journal of Conflict Resolution Pugwash Conference begins in
begins publishing, University of Canada.
Michigan

AN OVERVIEW
1958 Ernst B. Haas, The Uniting

Europe: Political , Social and
Economic Forces 1950-1955
1959 Center For Research On

Conflict Resolution established
at the University of Michigan;
International Peace Research
(PRIO) founded in Oslo,
Norway; Lancaster Peace research
Centre (Richardson institute)
established in Britain.
1960 Lewis Richardson, Statistics of The Dartmouth Conference

Deadly Quarrels. begins .
Thomas C Schelling, The Strategy
of Conflict.
Anatol Rapoport, Fights , Games ,
and Debates.
1961 Theodore F. Lentz, Towards a

Science of Peace
1962 K. Boulding, Conflict and Cuban missile crisis.
Defense.
C.E. Osgood, An Alternative to
War Surrender
1963 Centre for the Analysis of

Conflict, at the University
London; The Peace Scienc
Society (International) wa
founded with the leadershi
Walter Isard.
1964 Journal of Peace Research International Peace Research

Association founded in London.
1965 A. Rapoport and A. Chammah, J.W. Burton and others organize

The Prisoners Dilemma Problem-Solving Workshop with
representatives from Malaysia,
Indonesia, and Singapore.
1966 M. Sherif, In Common International Peace Research
Predicament Association(IPRA) proceedings.

1966 Stockholm International Peace

Research Institute (S
Sweden.
1967 Johan Galtung, Theories of Peace:

A Synthetic Approach to Peace
Thinking.
1968 Center for Intergroup studies
established in Cape town, S
Africa; Swisspeace was foun
in Bern, Switzerland to pro
independent action oriented
research.
1969 J.W Burton, Conflict and Tampere Peace

Communication (TPRI) Finland.
1970 The Hessische Stiftung Friedens
und Konfliktforschung (HS
Peace Research Institute Frankfurt
established in Germany.
1971 A. Curie, Making Peace Department of Peace and Conflict
research established at Uppsala
University, Sweden.
1972 J. D. Singer and M. Small, The Detente reached between the
Wages of War, 1816-1965 Soviet Union and United States;
Treaty on the limitations of anti-
ballistic missile system signed.
1973 M. Deutsch, The Resolution of Department of Peace Studies
Conflict. established at the University of
Gene Sharp, The Politics of Bradford, UK; Internationa
Nonviolent Actions. Institute for Applied Analysis,
Lexenburg, Austria; Society
of Professionals in Dispute
Resolution initiates conference.
1975 Helsinki final Act Signed, Product

of the Conference on Security
Cooperation in Europe.
1979 P. H. Gulliver, Disputes and Egyptian-Israel
Negotiations : A Cross Culture by President J. C
Perspective Iranian Revolution.

AN OVERVIEW
1980 Process of International

Negotiation (PIN) w
1981 R. Fisher and W. Ury, Getting
R.C. Mitchell, The Structure of
International Conflict.
1982 Carter Center was established

by former U.S. Presid
Carter in Atlanta, Geo
1983 Center for Global Peace and
Conflict Studies (CG
University of Califor
1984 R. Axelrod, The Evolution of
Cooperation. (USIP) founded in Washington
Negotiation Journalbtgm pub- D.C.; The Harvard Progra
lishing; International Journal on on Negotiation: Massachuse
World Peace began publishing. Institute of Technology,
Tufts University, and Harvard
University; International
Association of Conflict
Management (IACM) founded
in Boston; The Arbeitsstelle
Friedensforschung Bonn (AFB) or
Peace Research information Unit
(PRIU) was established in Boon.
1985 S. Touval and I. W Zartman, Copenhagen Peace Research
(Eds) International Mediation in Institute (COPRI) established in
Theory and Practice. Denmark.
1986 C.W. Moor, The Mediation Process International Alert founded in
London.

1988- K. Kressel and D. G Pruitt, Eds, Berlin Wall falls.

89 Médiation Research . Cold War ends.
H.W. Van der Merwe, Pursuing
Justicesand Peace in South Africa.
C.R. Mitchell, The Structure of
International Conflict.
I. William Zartman, Ripe
for Resolution: Conflict and
Intervention in Africa.
Morton Deutsch, Peter T.
Coleman and Eric C. Marcus, The
Handbook of Conflict Resolution
Theory and Practice
1990 Stein, A., Why Nations Cooperate :
Circumstances and Choice in
International Relations.
Burton, John, Conflict : Resolution
and Prevention
1991 Barash, D. P, Introduction to First Gulf War.

Peace Studies.
Kremenyuk, Victor A., (ed.),
International Negotiation :
Analysis , Approaches , Issues.
Jaap Novel (ed.), The
Coming of Age of Peace Research :
Studies in the Development of a
Discipline
Sources: Encyclopedia of Violencey Peace and Conflict Vol. (2), Louis Kriesberg,
"Contemporary Conflict Resolution" in Chester A Crocker, (ed) Leashing the Dogs
of War: Conflict Management in a Divided World , also see (3) Louis Kriesberg,
Evaluation of Conflict Resolution.
THE CONTEMPORARY PHASE: 1990 TO THE PRESENT
In the 1990s, two related developments took place with global

fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, and the breakup
Union in December 1991. These developments led to the e
the post- Cold War world order. In this era, the discipline
conflict studies was also under shadows of various divided disc

AN OVERVIEW
thinkers in the West and other parts of the world. The end of the Cold
was an end of this conflict that had fuelled research, and the significan
of peace and conflict studies appeared to be in decline. The argume
were raised through different contexts, whether the world was conside
to be unipolar and the issues of conflict related to the study of peac
conflict like arms race, disarmament, arms control, and nuclear confron
tion/proliferation between two superpowers seemed no longer impor
study or research. There was an initial optimism that the study of conf
might belong to history.
As a new world order was emerging with peace and harmony, t
euphoria was described by Francis Fukuyama in The End of Histor
1989. In his view, the ideological components would mostly disappear
there would be an end of ideologi-
The Cold War ended with
cal conflicts and wars.37 In the same
euphoria described by
vein, President George H.W. Bush
announced a "New World Order" Francis Fukuyama as The
End
in September, 1990, which purpose- of History, but this was
fully meant to describe a worldshort-lived
in as within-state
which war is obsolete.38 However,
conflicts and transnational
this post- Cold War optimism was
conflicts arose with no
short-lived and shattered when
institutional mechanisms to
new intra-state and transnational
resolve them. The optimism
conflicts and wars proliferated in
quickly turned to pessimism.
various regions of the world.
At the beginning of the post-
Cold War era, the UN witnessed a revival in addressing the issues of disput
and conflicts at the national and international level, but after the Gulf W
of 1990, the situation turned to pessimism. The UN was no longer i
position to sustain international peace and security, but rather represent
the desire of the major powers and consequently, its significance w
reduced.39 The weakness of the international collective approach shattere
the optimism with new changing scenarios and situations of conflicts and
wars of the "third kind." These included the use of asymmetric meth
of terror by identity groups without a specific front. These conflicts an
wars had high numbers of casualties (especially civilian casualties) a
little distinction between armed forces and the civilian population. T

perspective was popularized by Samuel Huntington who projec

ferent theory called clash of civilizations, which is contrary to F
end of history. Huntington's central argument, in his seminal
of Civilizations, is that the ideological conflicts of the Cold War w
replaced by the post-Cold War conflicts of ethnicity, religion, an
alism, and these would be the dominating factors in the post-
international relations.40
The conceptual and theoretical construction of post- Cold W
mism was yet in its infancy when the situation turned into absol
in August 1990 when 34 nations led by the United States attac
response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait, thus shat
post-Cold War optimism. After the fall of the Berlin wall, fr
1992, there were 82 armed conflicts and 79 civil conflicts that
across the globe. In 1993, 42 countries in the world were bes
major conflicts, with another 37 countries facing political violenc
79 countries, 65 were in the developing world. There have bee
in all regions, including Europe (Bosnia, Georgia, Turkey, and
Kingdom), in West Asia (Iraq, Israel and Lebanon), in Latin
(Colombia and Guatemala), in Asia (Bangladesh, India- Pakistan,
Iran, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, the Phili
Lanka and Tajikistan), and in Africa (Angola, Chad, Ethiopia,
Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, Zaire and Zimbabwe).
flicts and wars have had different causes, ranging from ethnic, r
socio-political and other identity- based causes. As "global chao
cleansing" and renewed meaning of "genocide" found their pl
lexicon of the 1990s in which people were killed for what they
than who they were. This was evident in Rwanda, Yugoslavia, Iraq
Sri-Lankan Tamils, Indian Kashmiris, and other parts of the worl
the 20th century is described as the "bloodiest" with an estim
million deaths due to the occurrence of two world wars and all the
conflicts and wars around the world.41
By the end of the 20th century, eighty out of the hundred ye
dominated by prolonged wars, including two world wars, hot-cold
other conflicts. According to SIPRI year book, in the first dec
post-Cold War era ( 1990-2001 ), there were 57 major armed confl
countries and, according to the conflict database of International

AN OVERVIEW
for Strategic Studies in London, six million people were killed in ar

conflicts during the 1990s.42 This implies that the end of the Cold War
not mean the end of conflict or the end of the history, but in reverse, c
flicts and wars are at everyone's doorsteps. These conflicts forced acade
and institutional efforts to try to ignite the minds across the globe for
better and broader ways to understand peace and conflict studies. Ta
shows a chronology of major academic and institutional contributio
the development of peace and conflict studies in the post-Cold War peri
Table 2. Chronology of Publications and Institutional

Developments of Peace and Conflict Studies: 1992-2013
Year Publication on Peace and Institutional developments/

Conflict Studies Events
1992 M. E. Brown (ed.) Ethnic Conflict

and International Security
1993 Russe tt, B, Grasping the
Democratic Peace: Principles for a
Post-Cold War World
R. Licklider, Stopping the Killing :
How Civil Wars End
1996 Johan Galtung, Peace by Peaceful Research institute, Institute of

Means: Peace and Conflict , peace and conflict studies (IPC),
Development and Civilization was established in New Deli India.
1996 Center for African Peace and
Conflict Resolution
California State Unive
1997 John Paul Lederach, Building
Peace : Sustainable Reconciliation
in Divided Societies
Cohen, Raymond, Negotiating
Across Cultures
1999 David P. Barash, Approaches to Kargil war between India and

Peace: A Reader in Peace Studies Pakistan; Peace and Conflict
James H. Laue, Approaches to Studies as academic discipline in
Peace University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Terry Terriff et al, "Peace
Studies," Security Studies Today

2000 Johan Galtung, et. al., Searching

for Peace: The Road to Transcend.
Ho-won Jeong, Peace and
Conflict Studies : An Introduction
2001 September 11, 2001, attacks on
U.S. World Trade Center and the
Pentagon; War in Afghanistan.
2002 Wallensteen, Peter,
Understanding Conflict
Resolution : War ; Peace and the
Global System
2003 Abu-Nimer, Mohammed, War in Iraq

Nonviolence and Peace Building
in Islam: Theory and Practice.
Leatherman, Janie. From Cold
War to Democratic Peace
2004 Paris, Roland, At War's End: Nelson Mandela Center

Building Peace After Civil for Peace and Conflict
Conflict Resolution, (NMCPCR) Jamia
Millia Islamia university, New D
India
2005 Zartman, I. W. and Guy Olivier

Faure, eds., Escalation and
Negotiation in International
Conflicts
David J. Dunn, The First Fifty
Tears of Peace Research: A Survey
and Interpretation.
2007 Conflict, Peace and Development
Studies (CPADS) University
Tribhuvan, Nepal
2008 Shin Chiba, Peace Movements and
Pacifism after September 11
Cortright, David, Peace : A
History of Movements and Ideas
Joseph S. Nye Jr., Understanding
International Conflicts : An
Introduction to Theory and
History

AN OVERVIEW
2008 Oliver P. Richmond, Peace in

cont. International Relations
2009 Nigel Dower, The Ethics of War

and Peace
2009 The National Centre for Peace

and Conflict Studies
in New Zealand
2010 Candice C. Carter, Conflict

Resolution and Peace Education
Transformations across Disciplines
201 1 Peter Wallensteen, Peace Research:
Theory and Practice
Thomas Matyók, Jessica Senehi,
& Sean Byrne, Critical Issues in
Peace and Conflict Studies Theory ,
Practice , and Pedagogy
2012 Department of Peace and Conflict
Studies, National Defence
University, Pakistan.
Peace and Human Rights stu
ies, Bangladesh University o
professionals.
2013 David P. Barash Peace and
Conflict Studies
Lisa Schirch Conflict Assessment
& Peacebuilding Planning
Dr. Kostie, Roland, Mediation
and Liberal Peacebuilding : Peace
from the Ashes of Wari
Source: Encyclopedia of Violence > Peace and Conflict Vol. (2), Louis Kriesb
Contemporary Conflict Resolution in Chester A Crocker, ed., Leashing the
of War: Conflict Management in a Divided World , also see (3) Louis Kriesb
Evaluation of Conflict Resolution.
In the beginning of the twenty-first century, new thoughts were n

essary in order to understand the occurrence of asymmetrical and violen
attacks on the American military and world trade icons (the Pentagon an
World Trade Center) on September 11, 2001 and other attacks across
globe that included Indonesia (Bali 2002), Spain (Madrid, 2004),

(London, 2005) and a number of other violent attacks in India, P

Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Nigeria and other parts of the world. The d
of these violent activities are often multifaceted and multidimensional with
various narratives. The substantial causes of these conflicts were general-

ized as socioeconomic disparity that causes social jealousies and hostilities
between different ethnic, religious, and linguistic groups. The presence of
state-sponsored violence, such as extrajudicial killings, gross human rights
violations, and other forms of violence, including deaths and disappear-
ances in various conflict zones across the globe, has troubled the peace and
security scenario for the 21st century. Moreover, the changing dimension
of war (guerrilla, Fedayeen attacks,
The changing dimension suicide bombs, insurgency, and
of war (guerrilla, suicide ambush attacks) on people at large
has presented a new challenge to
bombs, insurgency, and
peace and conflict studies in how to
ambush attacks) on
respond to these transnational and
the people at large has within-state conflicts that the UN
presented a new challenge was never set up to address.
to peace and conflict studies The asymmetrical and volatile
in how to respond to these attacks have induced a new genera-
transnational and within- tion of ideas in all the continents to
state conflicts that the UN think of peace and conflict studies
was never set up to address. from a more inclusive perspective.
These perceptions include issues of
emerging geopolitics, geoeconom-
ics, environmental conflicts, and their conversion from warfare to welfare
or peace-fare, and societal illness to its wellness. Within this framework,
the pedagogy and research in peace and conflict studies is emerging as a
more inclusive and open-ended multidisciplinary subject in the post-Cold
War era. It covers the whole range of causes of conflict and methods of
sustainability of peace. It is open-ended in the sense that from space to
earth and sea, there are various issues and dimensions of conflicts and, if
ignored, they may lead to war and violence.
Peace and conflict studies explore, invent, and open the doors of new
opportunity for prevention, transformation, resolution, mitigation, and
management of these conflicts in an acceptable way. At the same time it

AN OVERVIEW
has been accepted by researchers in the contemporary phase, with the n

brand of lethal terrorist organizations like the Islamic State of Iraq and S
(ISIS), with transnational ties has taken birth and performed hund
notorious and inhuman acts. How can we respond to these transnati
non-state actors who became a catch-point after the 9/11 events. Why h
the role of United Nations become minimal in managing conflicts?
can we respond to the internal conflicts within nations for which the Un
Nations was not designed?
Certainly these emerging questions can well be assisted by the discip
of peace and conflict studies and tangible and more profitable solutions
be found. Current forms of violence again bind the professionals across
disciplines to work against the enemies of peace. In this process, peace a
conflict studies emerge as a major aspect of all disciplines. This incl
moral, mental, and social sciences, legal studies, and even natural, mater
and medical sciences. In brief, themes and theories of peace and con
studies include every facet of human activity that can cause conflict
could have an adverse influence on peace and security.
OBJECTIVES OF PEACE AND CONFLICT STUDIES

Peace and conflict studies is a transformative interdisciplinary academic
field, analytical in nature, nonviolent in actions, theoretical and a-theoretical
in methodological approaches, and global in scope. It provides a range of
nonviolent strategies to address the complex issues of conflicts faced by cur-
rent and future generations. The main motive of the discipline is to reduce
conflict, whether it is at the micro, meso, macro, or mega levels of analysis.
It is also dedicated to create positive change and establish just peace. The
subject has extended its area of study beyond the limitations of its tradi-
tional engagements on arms race, arms control, and nuclear confrontation.
It has widened its areas to include issues of gender, race, and ethnicity,
issues of non-proliferation, risks of nuclear conflicts, geopolitical conflicts,
environmental conflicts, energy and resource conflicts, and conflicts caused
by disease and poverty on the earth. Besides this, peace and conflict stud-
ies also include maritime, space, and cyber conflicts. Fundamental to the
objectives of the discipline is the organized study of conflicts: their causes
and consequences in exploring the conditions of peace.43 To maintain the

wide-ranging pedagogy and demands of interdisciplinary scholars

ods of education, scholars primarily address the nature of conflic
than simply countering them. In the broader context, peace an
studies strives to produce a new generation of ideas to transform
into welfare. The methodological orientation is more about und
incentives and disincentives for creating war and conflict. The m
focus is to emphasize more nonviolent approaches for prevent
agement, and resolution of conflicts rather than coercive appr
war. It also addresses various concerns to reform and transform the exist-
ing institutional structures in order to sustain peace and suspend violence.
ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENTS
As a discipline, Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) has deve

ings on "transformation of violence into peace and harm
spirituality" in the classrooms of Manchester College, Ind
The major developments in the teachings of PACS in clas
leges and universities took place after the Vietnam War
teachings spread to undergraduate and postgraduate cours
1980s in the US and then later in European countries. Ea
under the Church of Brethren Institute were titled as "Problems of War
and Peace" and "Peace Research."45 The liberal program was started at
Uppsala University by establishing the Department of Peace and Conflict
Research in 1971. 46 In Britain, the first Peace Studies department was
established in 1973 at the University of Bradford.47 The department sets
its main aim to study peace as a condition of social and political systems,
in conjunction with attendant concepts such as justice, war, dignity and
so on. In this process, the two organizations - the World Policy Institute
(formerly Institute for World Order) and COPRED played a very signifi-
cant role in developing new programs and curriculum of PACS in both the
North and South Atlantic.
In the post- Cold War world, PACS is more applicable to the global
South than global North. There most of the countries are struggling against
social injustice. Economic disparities not only aggravate unemployment and
poverty, but instigate and drive social problems and social conflicts. In this
regard, one of the most important developments took place in the recent

AN OVERVIEW
past as a number of peace and conflict centres, departments and institu

have been establishing Global South states, mainly in sub-Saharan Af
and Latin America. In addition, the South Asian region has also introduc
the subject of peace conflict studies in different universities and colleg
In June 1999, Bangladesh introduced peace and conflict studies at
University of Dhaka. The department began with a Masters' program
for the purpose of advancing interdisciplinary study and research into
conditions of peace and the causes of war and other forms of violence.48
key issues of the department are to make a contribution to the advance
of peace and conflict studies along with non-violent conflict manage
processes.
The University of Jammu founded the Gandhian Center for Peace and
Conflict Studies (GCPCS) in 2004, with an aim to de-escalate conflicting
relationships through the non-violent teachings of the Gandhian philoso-
phy.49 As a research institute, the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies
(IPCS), founded in New Delhi, India in 1996, has become a premier
think tank with the mission of developing an alternative and indepen-
dent framework for peace and conflict issues in South Asia.50 The Nelson
Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution (NMCPCR), the first
Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution among the Indian universities,
was established in 2004 at the Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi.
Since 2007 the NMCPCR center has started a M.A. course and a Ph.D.
in Conflict Analysis and Peace-Building (CAPB), and Conflict and Pe

Studies (CAPS) sequentially.51
In 2007, Nepal initiated a two-year multi-disciplinary Master's program
in Conflict, Peace and Development Studies (CPADS) at the Universit
of Tribhuvan.52 In 2012, the subject of PACS was introduced in Nation
Defence University (NDU) of Pakistan.53 Bangladesh University
Professionals (BUP), Mirpur, has introduced a Master's program in Pe
and Human Rights Development Studies (PAHRDS). The program w
started with an aim to benefit both Bangladeshi armed forces and civilian
in developing a vibrant civil- military relationship that would effectively
contribute to the development of the country.54 In Pakistan two lead
research advocacy and think tanks are Pak Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS
and Pakistan Institute of Conflict and Security Studies (PI CSS). In t
present context, peace and conflict studies is a subject being taught under

different titles such as Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS), Peace

and research (PSR), Conflict Resolution (CR), and Peace and
Rights Studies (PHRS). The subject is a newcomer, but is a fast-g
one which is corroborated by the fact that it is now taught in more
countries of the world. In the United States alone, there are 450
programs functioning at various levels.55
CONCLUSION
In light of the above history and analysis, it can be inferred

common character of humans is to cherish peace and avo
evident that peace is important for human welfare, and war
destruction of human life and welfare. Since the Peace of We
ous treaties, conventions and covenants were signed to mainta
establish a peaceful world order. However, after every new fo
resolution something new has caused the efforts for peac
new conflict and war always seems to appear. When one or th
to the conflict is not ruined, the war continues, and thereaft
form of conflict management options are discussed and new s
regulations are made.
This cyclical process prevailed in all the wars at the var
modern history except the Cold War, which is the only in
human history based on propaganda, brains, and nerves. U
World War, the consequences of wars were not in the mil
war provided new incentives for maintaining peaceful world
the more than 38 million causalities shocked the entire world
marked the development of monumental academic, diplom
tutional efforts for peace across the globe in a broader way l
Versailles, League of Nations, Treaty of Trianon, and the
Pact, but due to lack of ability for enforcement, states invol
in conflict again, leading to the outbreak ofWorld War II, gv
shock to all humanity with the use of the nuclear bomb.
Peace studies did not emerge as a coherent discipline unt
II, yet these events forced even those in power to think abou
gies for the future of the world. Rapid developments in th
Peace and Conflict Studies took place after World War II. One

AN OVERVIEW
developments in this phase was the emergence of large scale institut

developments and scholarly efforts across the globe to sort out the probl
of conflict in a meaningful way. However, the present challenge before P
is how to respond to the changing nature of transnational conflicts,
that conflict has taken different forms than wars between states, and
are multilevel, transnational, sectoral, religious, ethnic conflicts within
outside the nations. Moreover, the violations of human rights, genoc
forced migration on ethnic and religious lines, transnational terrorism,
large numbers of refugees in the 19th and 20th century has also spa
the mind of social leaders about the need and relevance of PACS.
All these above mentioned facts and epochs of the evolution of
Peace and Conflict Studies made a significant contribution with one level
plus (L+) synergy and ascertain in a broader way because of the changing
nature of war. Therefore, Peace and Conflict Studies, as an interdisciplinary
academic subject, sets about to explore knowledge associated with sustain-
ability of peace and the causes of war and conflict.
There are various narratives about the evolution of peace and conflict
studies as an academic discipline. Our analysis shows the boost given to
the pursuit of peace that follows after every major war, but most of the
scholars are of the opinion that the emergence of the subject as a university
discipline has its roots in the Post-World War II era of 1950s and 1960s.
In this study, the subject is contextualized from its evolution in different
disciplines like law, to its place as an independent domain affecting all disci-
plines, and also to the contemporary phase of its practicality in the universe
of global academics as a full-fledged subject in courses all over the world.
The main agenda of Peace and Conflict Studies has been and is to under-
stand the dimensions of human conflict, and to explore peaceful solutions
through pedagogy, research and practice by using appropriate methods
and diverse standpoints. The primary considerations of the discipline are
rooted in religious texts, diverse ideas of pacifism, and the catastrophic
wars of the twentieth century. The key issues of the subject are to prevent,
transform, manage, and resolve conflicts by peaceful means and methods.
In the contemporary world milieu, peace and conflict studies have a greater
role to play in tackling the new threats and challenges of the twenty-first
century. The study of peace and conflict studies is dedicated to secure the
present and future generation from the scourge of conventional and nuclear

wars through the power of sound knowledge. The research,

and practice of peace and conflict studies is a main instrument of
importance for the transformation from violence to peace, destr
construction, and warfare to welfare across the globe.
Notes
1. Dwight D. Eisenhower, (April 16, 1953). "The Chance for Peace."

Lecture Delivered Before the American Society of Newspaper Editors, http://
www.presidency.ucsb .edu/ws/?pid=98 1 9 .
2. This treaty is also known as Silver Treaty, Treaty of Kadesh, and Egyptians -
Hittite Treaty, signed in 1259 b.c. between Egyptians and Hittite Empire to end a
long devastative war between the Hittite Empire and the Egyptians, who had fought
for over two centuries to gain mastery over the lands of the eastern Mediterranean.
3. Bonnin, Fatima Fleur Nassery, (2016 online), 'Peace and Inner Jihad'
Australian Centre for Sufism and Irfanic Studies , November 20, http://
ww.australiansuficentre.org/sufi_teachings_peacejihad.htm.
4. Galtung, J., et al. (2000). Search for Peace: The Road to Transcend. London:
Pluto press, xiii.
5. Galtung, J (1996). Peace by Peaceful Means: Peace and Conflict ,
Development and Civilization. London: Sage Publications, 1-2.
6. Brian, H. Reid. ( 2014, October ). 'The Legacy of Liddell Hart: The
Contrasting Responses of Michael Howard and André Beaufře^ British Journal
for Military History, 1 (1) : 69.
7. Duignan, Brain. (2011). The History of Western Ethics , New York:
Britannica Educational Publishing, 159.
8. Hugo, Grotius, (2001). On the Law of War and Peace, (Translated from
Latin by A.C. Campbell), Kitchener, Batoche Books, 242.
9. Two treaties were signed, one in the city of Munster, was formally an
agreement between the Holy Roman Emperor and the King of France; the sec-
ond, signed in the city of Osnabrück, was between the Emperor and the King of
Sweden.
10. Carolyn M. Stephenson. (1999). Peace Studies Overview , in Encyclopedia

of Violence, Peace and Conflict, (2), London: New Academic Press, 812.
11. Locke, John. (1689). Letter Concerning to Toleration, (translated by
William Popple). 1-12. http://socserv.socsci.mcmaster.ca/econ/ugcm/3113/
locke /toleration .pdf.

AN OVERVIEW
12. Patrick Riley. (Winter 1974-1975) "The Abbe de St. Pierre and Volta
on Perpetual Peace in Europe," World Affairs, 137, (3): 186.
13. Immanuel Kant, (1795) Perpetual Peace: Philosophical Essay, (Trans.
Campbell Smith, in 1903), London: George Allan and Unwin Ltd. 107.
14. Riley, 191-93.
15. Stanley, H. (Jun. 1963) ' Rousseau on War and Peace' The Amer
Political Science Review, 57.(2): 317-333.
16. Hancock, W (1961) Four Studies of War & Peace in this Century. U
Cambridge University Press, 20- 21.
17. Reginald, C. Stuart Thomas Jefferson. ( April 19 77). 'The Origins of W
Peace & Change. 4 (2): 92
18. Benjamin, Solomon. (Summer 2003) 'Kant's Perpetual Peace: A
Look at this Centuries-Old Quest, ' OJPCR: The Online Journal of Peace
Conflict Resolution. 5.(1): 106-107.
19. Mill, J. Stuart Mill. (2001) On Liberty 3 1859. Ontario: Batoche Bo
Limited, 15.
20. Powell, Jim, "William Penn, America's First Great Champion for Liberty
and Peace," Quakers, (Online, http://www.quaker.org/wmpenn.html. Dated
21-11-2016)
21 . "The Power of Peace Thoreau, Gandhi, and King", Unitarian Universalist
Association http://www.uua.org/re/tapestry/children/loveconnects/ses-
sion8/161912.shtml. (online, dated 21-11-2016)
22. Jorgen, Johansen. (2007). Nonviolence more than absence of Violence,
in Charles Webel, & Galtung, Peace and Conflict Studies. London: Routledge,
144-145.
23. The Quran on War and Aggression, (accessed online) http://www.

masjidtucson.org/submission/perspectives/striving/wars.html. Dated
21-11-2016.
24. King James Bible accessed from https://www.kingjamesbibleonline

Bible -Verses-About-Killing-In-War/. Dated 21-11-2016).
25. Adam, Hochschild, (2011) To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty
Rebellion , 1914-1918. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 347.
26. Ishiyama, J. and Breuning, M. (1994). 21st Century Political Scien
Reference Handbook. California: Sage Publications, 321.
27. Kriesberg, L (2009). "The Evolution of Conflict Resolution" in Ja
Bercovitich and et al, Handbook of Conflict Resolution , Thousand Oaks
publications, 17-18.

28. William, E. Rappard. (November 192 7) The Evolution of L

Nations," The American Political Science Review, 2'. (4) :793-795.
29. Ishiyama, J. (1994), 18.
30. Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928, http://www.unimarburg.de/icwc/d
briandkelloggpact.pdf.
31. Peter Lawler. (2008) "Peace Studies," in Paul D. Williams, (Ed)
Studies : An Introduction. London: Roudedge, 77.
32. Karl, W Deutsch. (1970,) "Quincy Wright's Contribution to the
War: A preface to Second Edition "Journal of Conflict Resolution, 14
33. Carolyn, M. Stephenson. (1999) "Peace Studies Overview," in Ency
of Violence, Peace and Conflict, (2) 809. Also see Paul D Williams, Security
an Introduction, 73.
34. Neal Riemer, Douglas W. Simon, and Joseph Romance (200
Challenge of Politics. Washington DC: CQ Press, 351.
35. Michael Henderson. (1996). The Forgiveness Factor: Stories of H
World of Conflict. USA: Grosvenor Books.
36. Johan Galtung. (1964) An Editorial , Journal of Peace Research,
37. Fukuyama, Y. Francis (1989 ) "The End of History,^ The National
(summer). See also Fukuyama. (1992) The End of the History and the L
New York: The Free Press.
38. George H. W. Bush. (September 11, 1990). Address Before a Joint Session
of Congress, http://millercenter.org/president/bush/speeches/speech-3425.
39. Michael N. Barnett. (1998) "The Limits of Peacekeeping, Sphere of
Influence, and the Future of the United Nations," in Joseph Lepgold and Thomas
G. Weiss, Collective Conflict Management and Changing World Politics. New York:
State University press, 83-84.
40. Huntington, Samuel. ( 1996) The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking
of World Order. New York: Simon Schuster, see also Huntington (1993 summer)
"The Clash of Civilizations?" Foreign Affairs, 72(3): 22-49.
41. Hobsbawm, Eric, "War and Peace," The Guardian, 23 February, 2002.
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2002/feb/23/artsandhumanities.
highereducation.
42. Conflict Database Project. (2002, November 22) publication of
International Institute for Strategic Studies. (IISS). London.
43. Robert Elias and Jennifer Turpin. (1994) "Introduction: Thinking About
Peace," in Robet Elias and Jennifer Turpin (eds.), Rethinking Peace, London:
Lynne Rienner Publishers, 5.

AN OVERVIEW
44. Johan Galtung. (1996) Peace by Peaceful Means : Peace and Confl
Development and Civilization , London: Sage Publications, 13-15.
45. Paul Rogers, "Peace Studies." (2013) in Alan Collins, Contempo
Security Studies (Zed edition). UK: Oxford University press, 56.
46. About the Department of Peace and Conflict Research, http://www
uu.se/about/.
47. Ian M. Harris, Larry J. Fisk, and Carol Rank. (Jun. 1998) "A portrait
of University Peace Studies in North America and Western Europe at the end of
Millennium." The International Journal of Peace Studies , 3 (1): 91.
48. Profile of the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies University of
Dhaka, http ://www.du . ac . bd /academic/department_item/PCE .
49. Gandhain Center for Peace and Conflict Studies (GCPCS), "Profile of
the Gandhian Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies," University of Jammu, www.
jammuuniversity.in /centre / gandhi_centre .doc .
50. Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS), "About Us," http://www.
ipcs.org/about-us.
51. "Introduction of Nelson Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict
Resolution," University of Jamia Millia Islamia, http://jmi.ac.in/aboutj
centres/conflict-resolution/ introduction.
52. Department of Conflict, Peace and Development Studies, "Message
the Program Co-coordinator," http://dcpds-tu.edu.np/content/23/mes
from-theprogram-co-ordinator.html.
53. "Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, National Defense Unive
(NDU)," http://www.insightonconflict.org/conflicts/pakistan/peacebui
organisations/ ndu.
54. See Bangladesh University of Professionals, Faculty of security and str
gic studies prospects for master of Peace and Human Rights development stud
(MPHRDS) program. http://www.bup.edu.bd/prospectus/MPHRS-Prospe
pdf.
55. Smith, D. (2007), "A Map of Peace and Conflict Studies in U.S.
Undergraduate Colleges and Universities," Conflict Resolution Quarterly , 25: 145.


Paragon House International Journal On World Peace

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Paragon House International Journal On World Peace

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Paragon House

DISCIPLINARY EVOLUTION OF PEACE AND CONFLICT STUDIES: AN OVERVIEW

Shaheen Showkat Dar UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Inst, of Kashmir Studies

Shaheen Showkat is focused on strategic studies and presently working as post-Docto

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

shadows of pain for centuries. In the contemporary world of scie

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

level, there are more people engaged in the development of the we

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

There are two interconnected but challenging issues before the w

THE ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF PEACE AND

There are various narratives about the evolution of peace a

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

and conflict is an illness that should be communicated loudly to

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

the causes of conflict (illness) or, if conflict (illness) occurs, the

1 . Evolutionary phase, beginning with the Thirty- Years War.

The evolutionary phase of peace and conflict studies refers

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

economies, deaths and debts, and peace by means of economic well

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

He also wrote an essay on Civil Disobedience in 1849 which subse

POST EVOLUTIONARY PHASE: WORLD WARS

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

which was an anti-war movement in Europe and New York fro

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

THE INSTITUTIONAL AND ACADEMIC PHASE:

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

and society to develop mutual understanding and a sense of amne

the global conflict called1960s as the academic foundation of

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

unpublished books by his father, Lewis Richardson, Statistics of De

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

philosophy of non-violence ( Ahimsa ) and truth (Satyagraha) w

Table 1. Chronology of Publications and Institutional

Year Publication on Peace and Institutional developments/

1942 Quincy Wright, A Study of War

1948 Universal Declaration of Human

1952 Bulletin of the Research Exchange

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

1958 Ernst B. Haas, The Uniting

1959 Center For Research On

1960 Lewis Richardson, Statistics of The Dartmouth Conference

1961 Theodore F. Lentz, Towards a

1963 Centre for the Analysis of

1964 Journal of Peace Research International Peace Research

1965 A. Rapoport and A. Chammah, J.W. Burton and others organize

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

1966 Stockholm International Peace

1967 Johan Galtung, Theories of Peace:

1969 J.W Burton, Conflict and Tampere Peace

1975 Helsinki final Act Signed, Product

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

1980 Process of International

1982 Carter Center was established

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON WORLD PEACE

1988- K. Kressel and D. G Pruitt, Eds, Berlin Wall falls.

1991 Barash, D. P, Introduction to First Gulf War.

THE CONTEMPORARY PHASE: 1990 TO THE PRESENT