Globalization theory is so complicated that nobody understands it completely, yet it is a major source of conflict around the world. This article introduces the conflict dynamics behind globalization in hopes of clarifying a very difficult topic.

This paper recounts the history of the conflict between the Turkish government and the Kurdish community living in Turkey, and proposes specific strategies that could be taken by both groups in order to resolve it.

The conventional wisdom is that reconciliation can only begin once a peace agreement has ended the conflict (at least temporarily). However, if one adopts the perspective of conflict transformation, rather than conflict resolution, then reconciliation becomes a crucial part and parcel of conflict transformation. Along that line of thinking, this essay aims to examine how reconciliation can fit into the framework of conflict transformation.

This essay tempers the popular idea that religion engenders violent conflict, by citing many examples in which religion (specifically the Roman Catholic Church and related entities) has worked to promote and sustain peace.

Some NGOs try to utilize the threat of negative international publicity to prevent war crimes and other violations of human rights. This essay examines the methods of three NGOs who use this approach: Christian Peacemaker Teams, Peace Brigades International, and Witness for Peace. It examines their "theories of change" and the extent to which those theories lead to effective practice.

This article examines the underlying causes of the piracy epidemic in and around Somalia and proposes a set of nonviolent, peacebuilding-oriented responses to try to stem the tide instead of the largely unsuccessful military responses that have been tried so far.

In stark contrast to the radio stations that escalated the Rwandan Genocide, Mega FM in Uganda is a strong voice for peace. This article describes their programming and how it has led to de-escalation and conflict transformation in one of the brutal rebellions in Africa.

This paper discusses the difficulties that have hampered the peace process in Somalia, and argues that a "bottom-up" peacebuilding effort -- built around the initiative of grassroots actors -- might be a more effective solution.

This article focuses on the problem of child trafficking as it is practiced in Benin and western Africa more broadly. Although it is a problem in many parts of the world, it has reached epidemic proportions in Benin and the surrounding African countries.

This case study examines the interplay betweeen drought, famine, and conflict; the author argues that each exacerbates the others, making all three especially difficult to solve. Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Sudan are examined as examples.

This case study examines theoretical explanations about the causes of ethnic conflict and then does a comparison of such conflict and its resolution (or not) in South Africa and Nigeria. The author examines the factors that appear to have made conflict resolution efforts in South Africa more successful than those in Nigeria.

This essay evaluates the various attempts at peacemaking in Darfur, examining why they have failed and what will need to change if peace is to be achieved.

Northern Uganda is often perceived to be a region under relentless siege by a brutal rebel militia. This perception is not inaccurate; however, the media's oversimplification of the conflict and dehumanization of the militia has increased -- not decreased -- the intractability of the situation.

This essay discusses the impact of the Northern Ugandan war on civilians and examines whether the traditional Acholi approach to forgiveness and reconciliation is beneficial in that extreme situation and how it relates to Western approaches to justice.

This article examines the history of efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the violent conflict in the Darfur region of the Sudan. The author points out ways in which attempts at peacemaking have been lacking, and makes suggestions for future endeavors.

The horror in Darfur was front-page news for months, yet the international community was unable (or unwilling) to stop the violence. Learn why the conflict in Darfur is so intractable.

This essay explains the background of the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea and examines the peace process that has been going on for the last six years.

This article examines why post-conflict peacebuilding and reconstruction in Sierra Leone has failed to bring stable peace and examines the lessons to be learned for other peacebuilding and reconstruction efforts.

This case study describes one of the authors' peacebuilding work in Zimbabwe, where he found that facilitating conversations was a good way to stimulate conflict transformation. The essay also includes a broader examination of the power of conversation as a peacebuilding tool.

The author discusses the transformative potential of stage drama and artistic dance, as exemplified by a project organized by the Amani Peoples Theatre (APT) at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Northern Kenya.

This article looks at civil society's role in the activities of the International Criminal Court in the Central African Republic. Unlike the hostility of civil society in other African countries, the response in the CAR was more positive. This article examines why this might be so, and what can be done to enhance the work of civil society and the ICC throughout Africa and the wider world towards both justice and peace.

Among the many NGOs working to resolve the conflict in northern Uganda, one group of diverse religious leaders is unique, and has effected significant change. This paper discusses the accomplishments of that group -- the Acholi Religious Leader Peace Initiative -- and also discusses the challenges that the group faces moving forward.

This is the first of a series of articles that Kimberly Fornace wrote when she was taking a Peace and Conflict Studies class based on Beyond Intractability. Living in Rwanda at the time, and being extremely perceptive, her papers were of such high quality we asked her if we could publish them here. This is the first overview of the conflict parties and issues. More papers on other aspects of the conflict and long-term prospects are forthcoming as soon as we can get them uploaded.

This article describes the conflict between China and Tibet and recommends nonviolent ways in which this conflict might be transformed.

This case study examines the importance of economic and social security in peacebuilding. By examining the post-Soviet societies of Central Asia (the "stans"), the author explores the hypothesis that peaceful transitions to democracy are more likely to be stable if the state economy is strong and the opportunities for personal security and well-being are high.

This article examines the Extraordinary Chambers of the Court of Cambodia (ECCC) -- the tribunal recently created to try Khmer Rouge leaders for the Cambodian "killing fields." It not only examines the potential effectiveness in the Cambodian context, but also the larger role of hybrid local/international tribunals in the context of the ICC and other war crimes tribunals.

The conflict in Kashmir is multi-faceted and deep-rooted. This paper explores the conflict in detail, and then suggests a series of incremental goals that might be pursued in order to resolve the conflict.

This essay discusses ways of building trust -- and through that -- peace in Tajikistan.

This case study is a fascinating exploration of basic Mongolian cultural values and their potential impact on Mongolia's ability to avoid ethnic tensions and war.

This essay examines the role of the Roman Catholic Church in fostering reconciliation between Cuban refugees now living in the U.S. and Cuban citizens still living in Cuba. Though hostilities between these two groups used to be strong, the church is making considerable progress in bringing families and larger communities together.

This article describes and evaluates the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC), which was a defense organization designed to facilitate the demilitarization, demobilization, and reintegration of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

Almost everyone living in Bosnia has deep emotional scars from the war. Despite their suffering, perpetrators and victims have to learn to work together to rebuild their country.

In a very personal essay, the author explains the day-to-day hardships faced by all Palestinians and explains why she believes a one-state solution is the only possible answer for the Palestinians' problem.

This article describes interreligious dialogue in Lebanon which, the author finds, provides a key to peacebuilding by creating space for people to be heard and accepted by "the other." The author describes her own dialogue experiences, explaining both its effects on her, and the wider effect of dialogue on the society as a whole.

The Bedouins of the Negev region of Israel exist on the margins of Israeli society, culture, and law. The authors discuss the challenges facing this disenfranchised population.

This case study shows how Afghan women are playing a part in the construction of a just and fair society, despite the continued tenuousness of their official social and political status.

In 2003, California endured the longest supermarket strike in U.S. history. This article discusses labor conflict in the U.S. and how to avoid stalemates like the one in California.

This article describes the truth and reconciliation commission that has been instituted to examine the treatment of aboriginal populations in Canada's "Indian Residential Schools." The author examines the problems and benefits of this effort, and how it relates to other TRCs around the world. The Canadian TRC is a critical case for analysis due to the fact that it is located outside the normal political dimensions for the use of truth commissions, it is focused on historical crimes committed against an indigenous population, and it lacks a justice mandate.

This article explores the value of culturally-constructed narratives in the peacebuilding process. Specifically, the author discusses the part that consonant and dissonant narratives have played in the treatment of Aboriginal peoples in Canada.

Across the United States, there is talk of the red/blue divide. Is this politics as usual or has the rift between Democrats and Republicans become intractable?

This short case study of the violence in Colombia asks why the population hasn't risen up against the continued violence.

Conflict resolution efforts that attempt to work in cooperation with -- rather than in opposition to or in ignorance of -- the local culture in which a conflict is occurring are much more likely to succeed. Colombian culture already contains several powerful conflict resolution mechanisms, which may hold great potential for effecting lasting change. This case study focuses particularly on a mechanism called equity conciliation.

The Chilean truth commission held after Pinochet lost power was not as successful as many had hoped, yet it did have significant impacts at both the individual and national level. This case study examines what the truth commission did, and what the short- and longer-term impacts were for individuals and for Chile as a whole.