Table of Contents

Part I: Background
1. What Is Conflict?
The Definition of Conflict
The Objects of Conflict
The Structure of Conflict
Disputes, Contests, and Conflicts
Is Conflict Always Destructive?
Conflict, Aggression, Violence
Part II: Conflict and Conflict Resolution in the Contemporary World
2. Small Group and Interpersonal Conflict
Trends in Small-Scale Conflict
Entangled Conflicts
Violence in Small Group and Interpersonal Conflict
Conflict Resolution at Ground Level
3. Large-Scale Societal Conflict
Discordant Societies
The Increasing Complexity of Major Societal Conflicts
Violent and Peaceful Transformations
Conflict Resolution at the National Level
4. International Conflict
A World of Conflicts
The Growing Complexity of International Conflicts
The Relative Decline of International Violence
An Increasing International Repertory of Conflict Resolution Processes
Part III: The Causes of Conflict
5. Is Conflict Behaviour Rational?
What Is Rational Behaviour?
Liberal Economics and Conflict
Two Examples of the Rational Choice Theory in Conflict Studies
Game Theory
Critiques of the Rational Choice Approach
6. Are Conflicts Driven by Biological Needs?
Biological Roots of Human Conflict
Population, Resources, and Conflict
A Biological Approach to Emotions
Complex Adaptive Systems
7. The Psychology of Conflict
Psychoanalysis
Behaviourism
Personality and Conflict
Social Psychology and Conflict
8. Conflict as a Social Outcome
Political Power and Conflict
Economic and Class Conflict
Social Change and Conflict
Cultures, Identity, and Conflict
Gender and Conflict
9. Recent Philosophical Approaches to Conflict
The Philosophical Tradition
Critical Theory
Postmodernism
Relations between Self and Other
Mimetic Theory: The Contribution of René Girard
Part IV: Conflict Resolution
10. How People Behave in Conflict
Behavioural Approaches
Levels of Consciousness
Tactics
Communication
Conflict Escalation
11. Processes for Dealing with Conflict
Addressing Conflict
Negotiation
Conciliation
Group Intervention Processes
Mediation
Arbitration
Adjudication
Authoritative Allocation
Traditional Processes
Modern Conflict Resolution Systems
Unusual Methods of Conflict Resolution
12. The Prevention and Resolution of Violent Conflict
Diplomacy
The Rise of Negotiated Peace Settlements
Contemporary Peace Agreements
Peace Missions
Coercive Actions and Peace: Chapter VII and Beyond
Peacebuilding
Confidence-Building Measures
Disarmament and Arms Control
13. Reconciliation
Etymologies
Approaches to Reconciliation
The Complexity of Reconciliation
Reconciliation as a Goal
Reconciliation as a Process
Case Studies of Reconciliation
Part V: Ethical Issues
14. Conflict, Violence, and Ethics?
Values, Principles, and Goals
Ethical Drivers of Conflict
The Just War Tradition
15. What Role Does Justice Play?
Justice and Conflict
Origins of Justice
Just Institutions
Justice in Context
Aspects of an Unjust Action
Paradigms of Justice
Mercy, Pardon, and Forgiveness
16. What Is the Relationship Between Conflict and Peace?
Definitions of Peace
Peace as an Orientation
Non-violence
Peace Research and Peace Education
Peace Challenges
Critical Reflections
17. Ethics and Conflict Specialists
Ethical Vision
Reflective/Reflexive Practice
Deontological Moments
Moral Dilemmas

About the Author

Dr Jean-Francois Rioux is an associate professor in the Department of Conflict Studies at Saint Paul University. He's written extensively on conflict studies, Canadian foreign policy, and armed conflicts, including two books in French and one in English.

Dr Vern Neufeld Redekop is an associate professor in the Department of Conflict Studies at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario. He has written numerous articles, papers, and contributed chapters on conflict studies and resolution, and has published three books on the subject.

Reviews

"This text covers an impressive amount of intellectual ground. . . . The authors have capably presented both the unity and diversity of conflict studies."

--Nathan Funk, University of Waterloo
"The book covers a vast array of theoretical literature and would be very useful for someone coming to the subject matter for the first time."

--Paul Gecelovsky, University of Western Ontario