bonn international center for conversion „conflict resolution in general and bicc‘s...

Bonn International Center for Conversion

„Conflict Resolution in General

and BICC‘s experiences“

Peter J. Croll

Jahrestagung der Religionslehrer/-innen an Berufsbildenden Schulen in der Diözese Augsburg

11./12. Mai 2012


BICC is

• one of the five leading German institutes in the field of peace and conflict research and co-editor of the Friedensgutachten

•listed among the 50 leading think tanks worldwide (non-US) in the Global Go-To Think Tanks Report 2010 (out of 6480 think tanks in 169 countries)

BICC at a glance


As an international, non-profit organization, BICC is dedicated to promoting and facilitating peace and development through

• applied research,

• advisory services and

• training

BICC at a glance


BICC at a glance

• BICC seeks to assist in preventing violent conflict and contribute to their constructive transformation

• While disarmament frees resources, which can be employed in the fight against poverty, conversion allows for a targeted, best possible reuse of these resources.


•Director•Supervisory Board•Board of Trustees•International Board

Organs and Boards

Board of Trustees•Land of North Rhine-Westphalia, Düsseldorf: 85%•Land of Brandenburg, Potsdam: 15%

BICC at a glance

Founded in 1994 as a GmbH (Ltd. Co.)


Main areas of our work

BICC‘s five program areas in 2011:

• Arms – Global Trends, Exports and

Control

• Security – Actors, Systems, Threats

• Resources and Conflict

• Migration, Conflict and Security

• Base Conversion


Sources and Nature of Conflict According to the Conflict Resolution Approach

• Conflict is a natural part of human existence

• Can be a catalyst for social change

• Conflicts are the direct result of some institutions and social norms being incompatible with inherent human needs.

• Denial of recognition by society would lead to alternative behaviours e.g. ethnic wars, street gangs or domestic violence.


The Conflict Cycle

Research at BICC addresses the entire conflict cycle


The Conflict Cycle

•Crisis prevention by transboundary water governance•Small arms control and training•Early warning / early action•Resource governance


The Conflict Cycle

•Conversion•Small arms control and training•Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex- combatants (DD&R)•CIMIC and UN Integrated Missions•Security sector reform



•Conflict management describes various strategies of dealing with a conflict at different levels from interpersonal to inter-state conflict

• Mainstream Literature categorizes conflict management strategies into three: - Conflict Settlement,

- Conflict Resolution and

- Conflict Transformation



CONFLICT MANANGEMENT

CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

Track 1

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Track 2

CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION

Track 3


What is Conflict Resolution ?

• Conflict resolution refers to all process-oriented activities that aim to address the underlying causes of direct, cultural and structural violence.

• The origin of protracted conflict can be found in the underlying unmet needs of participants.

• Conflict resolution seeks to not only resolve the direct violence of conflict but also underlying causes, i.e. the unmet needs.


John Burton’s Contribution to Conflict Resolution

• John Burton‘s work on human needs theory has become the theoretical foundation upon which conflict resolution rests

• He believed that human needs such as recognition and security are at the heart of protracted conflicts.

• While interests are tangible things, such as land, money, or jobs that can be traded and compromised, needs are intangible things, such as identity, security, and recognition, that are not for trading.


Conflict Resolution in Practice

The practice of conflict resolution entails providing opportunities for the parties to:

1.Analyse the relationship, generate a definition of the problem in terms of motivations and human needs

2.Cost their goals and policies once they are fully informed of all aspects of the dispute

3.Discover the possible options that may be available once there has been a full analysis of the conflict in all its elements



The Global Militarization Index (GMI)

The GMI investigates militarization worldwide. It serves to evaluate thedevelopment orientation of states and to analyze regional militarization.



Security – Actors, Systems, Threats• What are the challenges to

a national security sector (such as armed forces, police, controlling authorities, institutions of the justice and penal systems)?

• What is the role of non-governmental security actors (e.g. private security companies)?



Resources and Conflict

BICC conducts research on the nexus between natural resources and violent conflict.

BICC raises awareness and educates the public in this program area.


Foci of our Work

Migration, Conflict and Security

BICC analyzes the nexus between migration from Africa and security, discusses challenges of internal migration in Sub-Saharan Africa and focuses on the African diaspora in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and the European Union.



Base Conversion

With its 17 years of experience in base conversion, BICC not only provides advice to the German government but is also internationally active (e.g. in South Korea and South Africa).


Exhibitions and websites

Publications

Main products


Data bases

Conferences and Workshops

Evaluation reports

Main products


Thank you for your attention!

[email protected]

bonn international center for conversion „conflict resolution in general and bicc‘s...

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