Contemporary Conflict Resolution

The conflict resolution as specialized field of study has emerged in the post – Cold War era. The development of nuclear weapons and the conflict between the super powers seemed to threaten the human survival. Hence a group of pioneers from different disciplines saw the value of studying conflict as a general phenomenon, with the similar properties, whether it occurs in international relations, domestic politics, industrial relations, communities, families or between individuals. They saw the potential of applying approaches that were evolved in industrial relations and community mediation to conflict in general including domestic international conflicts.
Conflict resolution has a role to play in war zones; since building peace constituencies and unification of divided communities is an essential element of humanitarian engagement. It is an integral part of the work towards development of social justice and social transformations. The main purpose of conflict resolution is to foster an understanding of contemporary conflicts and to indicate how contemporary conflict resolution is changing in response. It offers a picture of whole range of organizations and individuals that are involved in the field, and also political parties of grass roots level in societies in conflict. In this book the theories and practices of conflict resolution has been reviewed pointing to the new methods and approaches, the difficulties and dilemmas and the broadening scope of their application etc.