Conflict Resolution Systems

Social science perspectives on conflict resolution systems go beyond facts and logical actions that often shape mainstream thinking underlying popular action, laws, and policies. These perspectives are critical of hegemonic modes of thinking that dominate existing institutions, which maintain the existing power hierarchies based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, and nationality. The last decade has clearly demonstrated the perilous impacts of conflict on people’s psychological, social, and economic lives. The limited success experienced by the United States and allied powers in direct combat has resulted in a paradigm shift in favor of conflict resolution systems that aim to address deepening cleavages between countries through dialogue and development of institutions that can avert conflict and establish peace and democracy. This entry presents the global dimensions of ...