Using the case study of Laos, a small landlocked country in Southeast Asia that has seen some of the world’s most brutal forms of poverty and violence, this book examines the power of traditional and indigenous conflict resolution systems as a tool for social justice. It explores how the conflict resolution mechanisms build infrastructures that support social harmony, and address larger scale conflicts within communities, nations and international arenas. The book discusses how over centuries, foreign powers have polarised and used the ethnic groups of Laos to support their own agendas, and how in spite of this, the Lao people have consistently managed to recreate the peace and harmony that support their social relationships, whether that is within groups or between many distinct groups. Through the development and use of appropriate grassroots conflict resolution structures that do not require a formal court system and exists outside the political arena, they have been successful in resolving conflicts within and across cultural groups. The book shows that the conflict resolution systems of Laos are embedded in the fabric of ordinary, everyday life, and operate independently of the hierarchical structures that dominate governing institutions. Highlighting how peace continues to work its way into existence, through elaborate mediation systems and rituals that bring people together, this book will be of use to students and scholars of Southeast Asian Politics, Peace Studies and War and Conflict Studies.

Investigates gendered aspects of social activism and peacebuilding. This title focuses on the agency of grassroots citizens, refugee, indigenous, and ethnic minority women. It brings gendered aspects of practice that assists scholars and practitioners in research and policy development.

The profession of peacemaking has been practiced by indigenous communities around the world for many centuries; however, the ethnocentric world view of the West, which dominated the world of ideas for the last five centuries, dismissed indigenous forms of peacemaking as irrelevant and backward tribal rituals. Neither did indigenous forms of peacemaking fit the conception of modernization and development of the new ruling elites who inherited the postcolonial state. The new profession of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), which emerged in the West as a new profession during the 1970s, neglected the tradition and practice of indigenous forms of peacemaking. The scant literature which has appeared on this critical subject tends to focus on the ritual aspect of the indigenous practices of peacemaking. The goal of this book is to fill this lacuna in scholarship. More specifically, this work focuses on the process of peacemaking, exploring the major steps of process of peacemaking which the peacemakers follow in dislodging antagonists from the stage of hostile confrontation to peaceful resolution of disputes and eventual reconciliation. The book commences with a critique of ADR for neglecting indigenous processes of peacemaking and then utilizes case studies from different communities around the world to focus on the following major themes: the basic structure of peacemaking process; change and continuity in the traditions of peacemaking; the role of indigenous women in peacemaking; the nature of the tools peacemakers deploy; common features found in indigenous processes of peacemaking; and the overarching goals of peacemaking activities in indigenous communities.

Conflict Resolution in Asia: Mediation and Other Cultural Models is an exploration of human interaction, conflict, and conflict resolution in the incredibly diverse region that consists of South, East, and Southeast Asia. It examines how traditional, indigenous, and culturally based conflict resolution processes interact with more formal legal systems to build infrastructures that address conflicts at the interpersonal to international levels in ways that maintain social harmony. This book provides insight into situations where unique cultures come together to create a larger cultural identity, and how constructive and appropriate conflict resolution systems can work every day to establish positive relationships and overall peace in these complex communities. It demonstrates the importance of culture in addressing conflict and conflict resolution, and validates the significance of culturally appropriate processes in building and sustaining peace. From Southeast Asia, a survey of Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam highlights their rich cultures and conflict resolution processes. From East Asia, Mainland China and Hong Kong show the history of traditional models and the incorporation of mediation within a more formal legal system. Finally, a section on South Asia examines customary methods of dispute resolution working alongside a judiciary structure in India. These nine countries represent very different cultural groups with complex national histories, and varying degrees of influence from Western powers. Using select Asian nations as case studies of conflict resolution systems, this edited book examines the power of mediation and other cultural conflict resolution models as a tool for addressing conflicts and social justice.

This handbook offers a comprehensive analysis of peacebuilding in ethnic conflicts, with attention to theory, peacebuilder roles, making sense of the past and shaping the future, as well as case studies and approaches. Comprising 28 chapters that present key insights on peacebuilding in ethnic conflicts, the volume has implications for teaching and training, as well as for practice and policy. The handbook is divided into four thematic parts. Part 1 focuses on critical dimensions of ethnic conflicts, including root causes, gender, external involvements, emancipatory peacebuilding, hatred as a public health issue, environmental issues, American nationalism, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Part 2 focuses on peacebuilders’ roles, including Indigenous peacemaking, nonviolent accompaniment, peace leadership in the military, interreligious peacebuilders, local women, and young people. Part 3 addresses the past and shaping of the future, including a discussion of public memory, heritage rights and monuments, refugees, trauma and memory, aggregated trauma in the African-American community, exhumations after genocide, and a healing-centered approach to conflict. Part 4 presents case studies on Sri Lanka’s postwar reconciliation process, peacebuilding in Mindanao, the transformative peace negotiation in Aceh and Bougainville, external economic aid for peacebuilding in Northern Ireland, Indigenous and local peacemaking, and a continuum of peacebuilding focal points. The handbook offers perspectives on the breadth and significance of peacebuilding work in ethnic conflicts throughout the world. This volume will be of much interest to students of peacebuilding, ethnic conflict, security studies, and international relations.

This edited volume includes contributions by scholars, ministers, artists, and NGO workers from around the world who are interested in topics of Mennonitism, peacebuilding, and theologies of nonviolence. The papers published together here reflect the richness and diversity of peacebuilding interests and approaches within the current global Mennonite family and offer interdisciplinary explorations of peace and conflict with attention to historical, theological, and lived perspectives. The book includes papers based upon research and insights that were shared at the Second Global Mennonite Peacebuilding Conference and Festival (2019) at Mennorode in the Netherlands. The findings presented here are structured thematically with attention to key points of current concern and research--including, among others, studies on historical and current peacebuilding efforts pertaining to migration and refugee care, ecological justice, gender justice, interreligious dialogue, church-state relations, and racial justice.

This edited volume focuses on the evolving nature of peacebuilding. Chapters address important and timely questions, including how groups select their peacebuilding methods, whether any form of violence is acceptable, and the role of neoliberalism. Further, the contributions here, written from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, evaluate the effectiveness of many historical and current peacebuilding efforts. The book offers cutting edge work in the field of peace and conflict studies, and will be useful to academics, students, and educators.