Contemporary Conflict Resolution

By Oliver Ramsbotham

Book Overview

Since the end of the Cold War, conflict prevention and resolution, peacekeeping and peacebuilding have risen to the top of the international agenda. The fourth edition of this hugely popular text explains the key concepts, charts the development of the field, evaluates successes and failures, and assesses the main current challenges and debates in the second decade of the twenty-first century. In response to ongoing changes in the dynamics of global conflict, including the events and consequences of the Arab revolutions, the rise of the self-styled ?Islamic State?, the conflict in Ukraine, and the continued evolution of conflict resolution theory and practice, this edition provides a fresh assessment of the contemporary conflict landscape. Comprehensively updated and illustrated with new case studies, the book identifies a new pattern of ?transnational conflicts? and argues for a response based on cosmopolitan conflict resolution, defined as the promotion of the cosmopolitan values on which the welfare and life hopes of future generations depend.

Part I offers a comprehensive survey of the theory and practice of conflict resolution. Part II sets the field within the context of rapid global change and addresses the controversies that have surrounded conflict resolution as it has entered the mainstream. Contemporary Conflict Resolution is essential reading for students of peace and security studies, conflict management and international politics, as well as for those working in non-governmental organizations and think-tanks.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0745687229
• ISBN13: 9780745687223
• Release Date: February 2016
• Publisher: Polity Press
• Length: 624 Pages
• Weight: 2.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.7" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Best summary available

This book does for the field what Mitchell's "The Structure of International Conflict" did so brilliantly years ago -- it compiles, condenses, and examines the breadth of the field, hitting key topics in a short space without sacrificing depth. I recommend it highly as an introduction to the field for undergraduates, graduate students, academic generalists, or practitioners looking for keys ideas in Conflict Resolution gathered into one place.

supplemental reading

The density of the writing reflects, perhaps, the complexity of the topic: dealing with large-scale, deadly conflict (i.e. war). The book covers conflict resolution theory as well as violent conflict escalation and settlement. Case studies are used to good effect in Preventing Violent Conflict, Working in War Zones, and Ending Violent Conflict. If you're interested in this topic, I would recommend this as supplemental reading.I read this for an introductory, graduate-level class on Conflict Resolution Theory. I think this book would also be useful for students of international relations, industrial psychology, political science, international development, and sociology.