Ripeness Theory and Conflict Resolution

The concept of ripeness refers to the moment in a dispute in which parties are able to engage in a genuine and productive process of conflict management. The term has become central to the language of conflict resolution and is used by practitioners and scholars alike. This entry provides a discussion of the factors that contribute to ripeness, the role of third parties in bringing about moments of ripeness, and scholarly critiques of ripeness as a theory of conflict resolution.

Emerging in the late 1970s, the concept has gained widespread usage to describe opportunities where conflict resolution efforts seem primed to succeed. In the late 1980s, a theory of ripeness coalesced around several studies of violent and intractable incompatibilities. While there are several variations of ripeness ...