Abstract
Conflicts and complex emergencies provide the most pervasive context for contemporary humanitarian action as they drive more than 80% of current humanitarian need. Conflicts are a universal feature of society, although every conflict is unique in terms of its actors, causes, consequences and dynamics. For humanitarian organisations
the word ‘conflict’ is usually used with reference to countries where there is politically motivated violence, internally or internationally, and where several parties (e.g. states, communities, political parties or groups) are involved in acting out their disagreement using violence.
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Notes
- 1.
Global Peace Index (2016), http://economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/GPI-2016-Report_2.pdf; UN WHS Secretariat (2015).
- 2.
- 3.
Zicherman et al. (2011), p. 6. This study surveyed five members of the Conflict Sensitivity Consortium, ActionAid International, CAFOD, CARE International, Plan International and World Vision International.
- 4.
Id., p. 9.
- 5.
Anderson (1999).
- 6.
Loane (2011).
- 7.
Médecins Sans Frontières (2016, May 5), http://www.msf.org.uk/article/msf-to-pull-out-of-world-humanitarian-summit; UN Secretary-General (2016).
- 8.
In 2015, 75 hospitals managed or supported by Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) were bombed.
- 9.
- 10.
UN Secretary General, ibid.
- 11.
World Humanitarian Summit (2016).
- 12.
Wallensteen (2007).
- 13.
The Cold War demonstrated how allies such as the US, UK and USSR who fought a major war together can get locked into a dangerous conflagration within a matter of few years. At the same time, the coming together of two former enemies, Germany and France, under the same bloc showed a potential for reversing the conflict dynamics (Wallensteen 2007).
- 14.
- 15.
Wallensteen (2007).
- 16.
Galtung (1967), http://www.transcend.org/files/Galtung_Book_unpub_Theories_of_Peace_-_A_Synthetic_Approach_to_Peace_Thinking_1967.pdf; Galtung (1969), pp. 167–191.
- 17.
Wallensteen (2007).
- 18.
Conflict Sensitivity Consortium (Undated), http://www.conflictsensitivity.org/do-no-harm-local-capacities-for-peace-project; Zicherman et al. (2011).
- 19.
Wallensteen (2007).
- 20.
Zicherman et al. (2011).
- 21.
Wallensteen (2007).
- 22.
Zicherman et al. (2011).
- 23.
Wallensteen (2007).
- 24.
- 25.
- 26.
- 27.
For example, sometimes States tend to play down the intensity of a situation of violence and claim to undertake actions in the name of maintaining public order, see Vite, ibid.
- 28.
Kalpakian (2004), p. 193.
- 29.
Zeitoun and Mirumachi (2008), pp. 297–316.
- 30.
Inter Press Service News Agency, Wars, No, Conflicts, Yes, 2007, http://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/198/40379.html.
- 31.
UCDP, Definitions, http://www.pcr.uu.se/research/ucdp/definitions/.
- 32.
Ibid.
- 33.
- 34.
Sarkees and Schafer (2000), pp. 123–144.
- 35.
Human Security Report Project (2013).
- 36.
UCDP, Definitions, http://www.pcr.uu.se/research/ucdp/definitions/, extrasystemic conflicts refer to colonial wars or wars of independence, which occur between governments and non-state groups located outside a State’s own territory. Interstate armed conflicts involve two or more States. Internal armed conflicts are those that take place between the government and non-state groups located within the State or between two non-state actors within one State. It does not involve outside actors. Internationalised internal conflict however, is an internal conflict with intervention from external actors on one or both sides.
- 37.
- 38.
Ibid.
- 39.
Jeong (2008).
- 40.
- 41.
- 42.
Ibid, citing Wehr, P., Conflict Emergence, http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/problem/cemerge.htm.
- 43.
Joint Evaluation of Emergency Assistance to Rwanda (1996), p. 3, http://www.oecd.org/derec/sweden/50189495.pdf.
- 44.
Deutsch and Coleman (2000), pp. 428–450.
- 45.
Deutsch (1983).
- 46.
Id., p. 4.
- 47.
Human Security Report Project (2013).
- 48.
ICRC (2014), p. 277.
- 49.
- 50.
- 51.
HIIK (2015).
- 52.
United Nations WHS Secretariat (2015).
- 53.
Global Humanitarian Assistance (GHA) Report (2016).
- 54.
Global Peace Index (2016), http://economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/GPI-2016-Report_2.pdf.
- 55.
Ibid.
- 56.
Ibid.
- 57.
Ibid.
- 58.
Ibid.
- 59.
GHA Report (2016).
- 60.
Global Peace Index (2016), http://economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/GPI-2016-Report_2.pdf.
- 61.
PRIO (2015), http://www.prio.org/Projects/Extensions/ConflictTrends/Graphs/, accessed on 06 December, 2016.
- 62.
- 63.
Ibid.
- 64.
Global Peace Index (2016), http://economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/GPI-2016-Report_2.pdf.
- 65.
United Nations WHS Secretariat (2015).
- 66.
Ibid.
- 67.
GHA Report (2016).
- 68.
Ramsbotham et al. (2011).
- 69.
See www.transcend.org for a comprehensive bibliography of Galtung’s publications on peace and conflict research.
- 70.
Wallensteen (2007).
- 71.
Ibid.
- 72.
Ibid.
- 73.
Galtung (1971), pp. 173–206.
- 74.
Wallensteen (2007).
- 75.
Ibid.; Galtung (1971).
- 76.
Ramsbotham et al. (2011).
- 77.
Wallensteen (2007).
- 78.
Ibid.; Ramsbotham et al. (2011).
- 79.
Ramsbotham et al. (2011).
- 80.
- 81.
Trocaire (2011).
- 82.
OECD (2012).
- 83.
Ramsbotham et al. (2011).
- 84.
Ibid.
- 85.
Ibid.
- 86.
Zeitoun and Mirumachi (2008).
- 87.
- 88.
OECD (2012).
- 89.
Zicherman et al. (2011).
- 90.
Id., p. 3.
- 91.
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Further Reading
Ramsbotham O, Woodhouse T, Miall H (2011) Contemporary conflict resolution. Polity Press, Cambridge
Trocaire (2011) Conflict sensitivity toolkit. Trocaire, Dublin. http://www.trocaire.org/resources/policyandadvocacy/conflict-sensitivity-toolkit
Wallensteen P (2007) Understanding conflict resolution: war peace and the global system. Sage Publications, Sweden
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Maitra, S. (2018). The Changing Nature of Conflict: The Need for a Conflict-Sensitive Approach. In: Heintze, HJ., Thielbörger, P. (eds) International Humanitarian Action. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14454-2_4
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