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History and Evolution of Peace Research in the Contemporary World

Explore the development of peace research from its early stages to the modern era, analyzing key themes, methodologies, and political influences that have shaped the discipline. Discover how peace has been conceptualized and pursued over time.

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History and Evolution of Peace Research in the Contemporary World

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  1. An irreverent history of peace researchHenrik-Steffens-Vorlesung, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin,3 June 2008 Nils Petter Gleditsch Centre for the Study of Civil War (CSCW at International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO) & Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

  2. Two anniversaries • 2009: PRIO at 50 • 2009: The ISA at 50 What happened to peace? What happened to peace research?

  3. Armed conflicts 1946–2006 Data from Harbom & Wallensteen (2007) and www.prio.no/cscw/armedconflict.

  4. Battle deaths, 1946–2005

  5. Periodization • Pre-history ( –1959) • The behavioral revolution (1959–68) • The socialist revolution (1968–78) • The wilderness years (1978–89) • The post-Cold War years (1989– ) • The liberal peace – or? (2001– )

  6. Themes • Academic disciplines • Methodology • School in IR • Politics • Institutionalization • The concept of peace

  7. Pre-history (until the late 1950s) • Law, history, philosophy, political science • Traditional methodology, essayistic, legalistic • Realist thinking (deterrence, alliance politics) • Politically pro-West (traditionalism) • Beginning institutionalization (Royal Institute …, NGOs) • Avoid war (at most), peace not a serious academic concept

  8. The behavioral revolution (1959–68+) • Sociology, economics, etc., multi-disciplinary ideal • Quantitative methodology (statistics, mathematical modeling) • Liberal thinking (modernization, integration, nonviolent norms); Gandhian influence • Politically neutral (pacifism); analogy to medicine • Rapid institutionalization (JCR, CCR, PRIO, JPR, IPRA, PRS/PSS, chairs) • Negative peace (avoid war) and positive (integration)

  9. The socialist revolution (1968–78) • Trans-disciplinary ideal (but: ascendance of political science) • Liberation methodology (invariance-breaking) • Radical thinking (dependency, marxism, structural) • Politically pro-East (revisionism), pro-South (third-worldism); research (for the underdogs) • Conquer or destroy institutions (Denmark, chairs in peace research) • Peace as negation of direct and structural violence

  10. The wilderness years (1979–89) • A subfield of political science? • Weak methodology (anything goes) • Radicalism becomes traditionalism • Politically correct with declining faith • Trying to save or to patch up institutions • Peace as anything

  11. The post-Cold War years (1989– ) • Multiple backgrounds (cross-d., not trans-d.) • Pluralist methodology (post-modern challenge) • Neoliberal thinking (the liberal peace) • Apolitically pro-West (only game in town) • De-institutionalization, privatization, individualism, new emphasis on academic quality • Peace as reduction of direct violence; lasting peace

  12. The liberal peace – or? (2001– ) Competing challenges • The temporary peace • Hegemonic peace • Clash of civilizations • Sustainable peace • The virtual peace • The male peace • Capitalist peace

  13. Boulding's three forms of power • Threat power (destruction) • Economic power (exchange) • Integrative power (legitimacy)

  14. Integrative power

  15. - or?

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