Peace Initiatives and Public Opinion: The Domestic Context of Conflict Resolution

According to Galtung, a peace journalism frame is one that highlights peace initiatives and tones down differences by promoting conflict resolution. A war journalism frame, in his view, is one that highlights differences between opposing parties, urging violence as means to a resolution. Thus, based on the above classification of these two competing frames of war coverage, this is one of the first studies to empirically test the model via a visual quantitative analysis. Using news photographs, this study analyzes the extent to which the Gaza War (2008-2009) was represented as war versus peace journalism in the three leading Western newswires (Associated Press, Reuters, and AFP/Getty Images). Findings indicate that all three wires combined provided a variety of visual frames to communicate a comprehensive coverage of the event. This observed pattern therefore highlights the role of gatekeeping in providing a broad-based understanding of conflicts. In other words, it becomes crucial to note that photo selections in terms of war versus peace journalism ultimately has an impact in shaping public opinion and influencing perceptions of news events. Furthermore, from a theoretical standpoint, this work expands the classification of war versus peace journalism by operationalizing these frames into concrete pictorial patterns from a visual communication perspective.

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Peace Processes in Northern Ireland and Turkey

10.3366/edinburgh/9781474479325.001.0001 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

I. Aytaç Kadioğlu

Keyword(s):

Conflict Resolution ◽

Northern Irish ◽

Peace Agreement ◽

Post Cold War ◽

Peace Processes ◽

Starting Point ◽

Peace Initiatives ◽

Elite Level ◽

Resolution Processes ◽

The Impact

This book assesses the impact of political, non-violent resolution efforts in the Northern Irish and Turkish-Kurdish peace processes. It offers an important contribution to conflict-resolution research, theorising the various stages involved in the attempted resolution of asymmetric conflicts. By relying on primary sources, including interviews and recently declassified archival papers, it presents an innovative framework for conflict resolution, a starting-point for further research on managing peace processes and ethno-nationalist conflicts. This book challenges the notion of ‘conflict resolution’ in these two peace processes, both far-reaching ethno-nationalist conflicts in the post-Cold War era. Incorporating fieldwork carried out until 2015, the book compares these conflicts during major peace attempts, from early secret talks and semi-official peace initiatives, to multilateral and internationalised conflict-resolution processes through not only main armed protagonists, but also independent third parties. It analyses the political resolution efforts for ending the IRA and PKK’s armed campaigns and establishing a peace agreement. It argues that peace initiatives are ongoing processes which contain not only formal peace initiatives, but also informal and secret peace efforts. It suggests that formal and informal initiatives together embody conflict resolution processes through three major aspects: backchannel communications as the unofficial aspect, peace organisations as the informal and semi-official aspect, and negotiations as the official aspect of conflict resolution efforts, which operate at the elite level of conflict resolution.

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Positive steps turning into a process

Temida ◽

10.2298/tem0404009b ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 9-10

Author(s):

Goran Bozicevic

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Public Opinion ◽

Civil Society ◽

Regional Cooperation ◽

Peace Building ◽

Target Groups ◽

The Public ◽

The Past ◽

Individual Work ◽

Peace Initiatives

The conclusion of the research conducted in Croatia for QPSW in 2003 is there is no systematic, accountable and structural confrontation with the past in Croatia, but there is growing concern within the civil society about the problems incurred by the lack of such a confrontation. Two different approaches can be discerned: individual work with particular persons or target groups and advocacy that could influence the alteration of the public opinion and decision-making. Both levels are necessary and they should unfold simultaneously. The systematization and regional cooperation of documentation centers, cooperation between victim organizations and peace initiatives, the inclusion of former warriors into peace building processes the cooperation of artists and activists - represent some of the new and promising steps on the civilian scene in Croatia. The constant strengthening of the independent media and the judiciary, coupled with constant efforts on both levels - the personal and the public - raises hopes that the confrontation with the past in Croatia is a process and not a trend.

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Nigeria and conflict resolution in Africa: The Darfur experience

Civilizar ◽

10.22518/16578953.34 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 11 (21) ◽

pp. 69

Author(s):

Joseph C Ebegbulem

Keyword(s):

Conflict Resolution ◽

Historical Background ◽

African Union ◽

African Continent ◽

Sovereign State ◽

Southern Sudan ◽

Peace Initiatives

Conflicts in Africa have over the years led to loss of lives, displacement of persons and misery in many parts of the continent. The need to resolve, manage and prevent these conflicts, and equally deal with the socio-economicchallenges arising from these conflicts has become a source of worry to African nations including Nigeria, the giant of Africa. It is in the light of the foregoing therefore, that this paper attempts to analyze Nigeria’s role in conflict resolution in Africa using the Darfur crisis in Sudan as a case study. The paper examines the historical background of the Darfur conflict and efforts made by Nigeria to resolve the crisis through peace initiatives. Since the restoration of peace in Darfur is a big challenge facing the African continent, the paper looks at the problems and prospects of peace in that part of the continent.The paper concludes by positing that even though Nigeria has demonstrated its commitment in resolving the conflict in Darfur, there still is a lot to do in concert with the African Union, especially now that Southern Sudan is a sovereign state.

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Peace and Conflict Resolution Organisations: Catalysts for Peace?

10.3366/edinburgh/9781474479325.003.0005 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 149-182

Author(s):

İ. Aytaç Kadıoğlu

Keyword(s):

Conflict Resolution ◽

Northern Ireland ◽

Political Elites ◽

Public Events ◽

Middle Range ◽

Peace And Conflict ◽

Peace Initiatives ◽

Elite Level ◽

Peace And Conflict Resolution ◽

Political Decisions

This chapter investigates unofficial peace initiatives that were undertaken from the early stages of both conflicts by peace and conflict resolution organisations. The existing literature has long recognised the influence of these groups at the community level, especially in the area of reconciliation. However, the impact of these track-two initiatives on the elite level of conflict resolution has been neglected particularly in situations where they may push political elites towards political reforms and a non-violent resolution, as well as forwarding the demands of conflicting communities to decision makers. This chapter intends to reveal the P/CROs’ contribution to peace processes in this broader sense by comparing the relevant groups in Northern Ireland and Turkey. Regarding middle-range efforts, P/CROs aim to close the gap between the elite and grassroots levels through public events, conferences and marches, which helps to include a war-affected society’s demand for political decisions and the promotion of political resolution attempts. Regarding elite-level efforts, they play a role in political decisions thanks to their personal contacts with political elites. It assesses whether these groups have reduced the tension in the society and have encouraged political efforts in Northern Ireland and Turkey.

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The Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo Recurring Conflict: Whose Conflict Transformation Responsibility?

Journal International Studies ◽

10.32890/jis.14.2018.7997 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sadiki Maeresera ◽

Engelbert Abel Rugeje ◽

Knocks Zengeni

Keyword(s):

Conflict Resolution ◽

Democratic Republic ◽

Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽

Conflict Transformation ◽

Transformation Mechanism ◽

Policy Suggestions ◽

Peace Initiatives ◽

Strategic Policy ◽

Eastern Congo ◽

Responsible Party

The recurring conflict in Eastern DRC has had devastating effects on civilians, mostly in Kivus. From the beginning of January 2002 till the end of May 2017, many conflict resolution efforts have been put together by regional and international communities. However, there has not been any sustainable mechanism to resolve the conflict. The situation regarding the security of Eastern Congo continues to be volatile. This paper seeks to identify the responsible party that would help mitigate the recurring conflict in Eastern Congo. Using the three distinct categories of actors in Conflict Transformation, the paper argues that the lack of coordination among these actors who constitutes the three Track levels have affected unity of purpose and the level of commitment as far as transforming the Eastern Congo Conflict. The divergent interests among the respective actors to outmaneuver one another when it comes to agenda setting regarding respective peace initiatives on conflict, could be the rationale behind the absence of a workable formula in transforming conflict in the Eastern DRC. The paper proffer strategic policy suggestions toward a workable Conflict Transformation mechanism that equitably addresses the root causes of the conflict and fairly incorporates the relevant stakeholders in an effort to find a sustainable solution.

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A mediação como política pública de resolução de conflitos nas relações de consumo

Scientia Iuris ◽

10.5433/2178-8189.2020v24n2p49 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 149-169

Author(s):

Chanauana de Azevedo Canci Mafio ◽

◽

Vera Sirlei Martins ◽

Valesca Brasil Costa ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Opinion ◽

Conflict Resolution ◽

Exploratory Research ◽

Public Opinion Research ◽

The Public ◽

Qualitative And Quantitative ◽

Consumer Law ◽

Politica Publica ◽

Northwest Region

This paper addresses mediation as a public policy, examining communication as an important tool for conflict resolution in the area of consumer law. This study utilized bibliographic review with exploratory research and qualitative and quantitative approaches, such as public opinion research. Moreover, the target audience for the public opinion research project was made up of consumers in a municipality in the northwest region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Furthermore, this study investigates important aspects of consumption, whilst exploring the role of communication as a pacific means of conflict resolution and analyzing its methods and concepts relevant to mediation. Finally, this study concluded that while mediation isn’t popular throughout the country, it is growing a steady user base for conflict resolution. Additionally, interviewees who utilize mediation as a mechanism for resolving consumer disputes, grade it more positively than other instruments in satisfaction scores.

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