Introductory Blog Post
Conflict resolution is a multifaceted process, where actors from all around the world come into play. NGOs, foreign involvement, and a myriad of other conditions all have an effect on how quickly and effectively parties end their fighting. But which combination of these factors is the most effective one? And how does that combination change for each conflict?
My name is Maria Lissovolik and for my Senior Project, I will be researching the process of conflict resolution. I intend to study primary sources and secondary schools of thought about conflict resolution in states such as Afghanistan and Sudan. Ultimately, I hope to analyze and compare each conflict-resolution method’s effectiveness, incorporating cultural, social, and political variables. I will then apply my findings to constructing a model of the most effective conflict resolution strategies that could be applied to the current Russo-Ukrainian conflict.
Conflict has immense destructive potential: it actively destroys academic institutions, research, and knowledge; it devastates necessary infrastructure; and most importantly, it results in death and suffering. Learning how to effectively mitigate conflict can help save lives, preserve institutions, and assist in the rebuilding process of damaged states.
Now, to the many afternoons I will spend reading about the Cold War, piecing together bits of a puzzle I don’t yet understand, and writing (hopefully) informative blog posts.
~ Maria Lissovolik
3 Replies to “Introductory Blog Post”
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Hi, Maria! Your research has a large tangible exigence right now. When analyzing past conflicts, how do you consider resolutions that were only effective for a short time, and then the country/countries fell back into conflict? Do you have certain benchmarks for effectiveness? I also think you will find a difference in the type of strategies that are effective in civil versus international conflicts, though I don’t know what that difference would be.
Hi, Maria! This research sounds truly facinating, and, as Daria pointed out, is very important right now. I will be extremely interested in looking at how you generalize the results from Afganistan and Sudan to nations with different histories, cultures, and politics — such as Ukraine.
I’m excited to hear more!
And, piggy-backing on Daria, I think the number of variables here will be enormous, which will make this exciting but tricky. In other words, while certain resolution techniques are probably more effective than others, each conflict has enough contingent circumstances surround it that it will demand its own unique set of strategies.