Conflict Resolution and BICC's Experiences

1. „Conflict Resolution in General and BICC‘s experiences“ Peter J. Croll Jahrestagung der Religionslehrer/-innen an Berufsbildenden Schulen in der Diözese Augsburg 11./12. Mai 2012

2. BICC at a glance BICC is • one of the five leading German institutes in the field of peace and conflict research and co-editor of the Friedensgutachten • listed among the 50 leading think tanks worldwide (non-US) in the Global Go-To Think Tanks Report 2010 (out of 6480 think tanks in 169 countries)

3. BICC at a glance As an international, non-profit organization, BICC is dedicated to promoting and facilitating peace and development through • applied research, • advisory services and • training

4. BICC at a glance • BICC seeks to assist in preventing violent conflict and contribute to their constructive transformation • While disarmament frees resources, which can be employed in the fight against poverty, conversion allows for a targeted, best possible reuse of these resources.

5. BICC at a glance Founded in 1994 as a GmbH (Ltd. Co.) Board of Trustees • Land of North Rhine-Westphalia, Düsseldorf: 85% • Land of Brandenburg, Potsdam: 15% Organs and Boards • Director • Supervisory Board • Board of Trustees • International Board

6. BICC‘s five program areas in 2011: Arms – Global Trends, Exports and Control Security – Actors, Systems, Threats Resources and Conflict Migration, Conflict and Security Base Conversion Main areas of our work

7. Sources and Nature of Conflict According to the Conflict Resolution Approach • Conflict is a natural part of human existence • Can be a catalyst for social change • Conflicts are the direct result of some institutions and social norms being incompatiblewith inherent human needs. • Denial of recognition by society would lead to alternative behaviours e.g. ethnic wars, street gangs or domestic violence.

8. The Conflict Cycle Research at BICC addresses the entire conflict cycle

9. The Conflict Cycle • Crisis prevention by transboundary water governance • Small arms control and training • Early warning / early action • Resource governance

10. The Conflict Cycle • Conversion • Small arms control and training • Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex- combatants (DD&R) • CIMIC and UN Integrated Missions • Security sector reform

11. Sources and Nature of Conflict According to the Conflict Resolution Approach • Conflict management describes various strategies of dealing with a conflict at different levels from interpersonal to inter-state conflict • Mainstream Literature categorizes conflict management strategies into three: • Conflict Settlement, • Conflict Resolution and • Conflict Transformation

12. Sources and Nature of Conflict According to the Conflict Resolution Approach

13. Conflict resolution refers to all process-oriented activities that aim to address the underlying causes of direct, cultural and structural violence. The origin of protracted conflict can be found in the underlying unmet needs of participants. Conflict resolution seeks to not only resolve the direct violence of conflict but also underlying causes, i.e. the unmet needs. What is Conflict Resolution ?

14. John Burton’s Contribution to Conflict Resolution • John Burton‘s work on human needs theory has become the theoretical foundation upon which conflict resolution rests • He believed that human needs such as recognition and security are at the heart of protracted conflicts. • While interests are tangible things, such as land, money, or jobs that can be traded and compromised, needs are intangible things, such as identity, security, and recognition, that are not for trading.

15. Conflict Resolution in Practice • The practice of conflict resolution entails providing opportunities for the parties to: • Analyse the relationship, generate a definition of the problem in terms of motivations and human needs • Cost their goals andpolicies once they are fully informed of all aspects of the dispute • Discover the possible options that may be available once there has been a full analysis of the conflict in all its elements

16. The Global Militarization Index (GMI) Main areas of our work The GMI investigates militarization worldwide. It serves to evaluate thedevelopment orientation of states and to analyze regional militarization.

17. Security – Actors, Systems, Threats What are the challenges to a national security sector (such as armed forces, police, controlling authorities, institutions of the justice and penal systems)? What is the role of non-governmental security actors (e.g. private security companies)? Main areas of our work

18. Resources and Conflict BICC conducts research on the nexus between natural resources and violent conflict. BICC raises awareness and educates the public in this program area. Main areas of our work

19. Foci of our Work Migration, Conflict and Security BICC analyzes the nexus between migration from Africa and security, discusses challenges of internal migration in Sub-Saharan Africa and focuses on the African diaspora in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and the European Union.

20. Main areas of our work Base Conversion With its 17 years of experience in base conversion, BICC not only provides advice to the German government but is also internationally active (e.g. in South Korea and South Africa).

21. Main products Publications Exhibitions and websites

22. Main products Data bases Conferences and Workshops Evaluation reports

23. Thank you for your attention! sz@bicc.de