National Seminar

on

 

CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION & PEACE BUILDING IN SOUTH ASIA

 

18-19 AUGUST, 2006

 

Theme Statement

 

The study and analysis of Conflicts and the trends of their transformation has been a significant academic and policy endeavour. Conflicts and their transformation has been an important dimension of Security Studies in the regions and states of the Third World. The nature, scope, types and levels of conflict have varied in the different regions of the Third World. They have constituted an important problematique in the contexts of security complexes of the regions and states in the Third World.

Transformation is term that has been used variously to denote the process of change and impact of any social, physical, organic entity that produces profound characteristics to the fundamental nature of the structure and functions of the entity.

Conflict Transformation could be defined as the pathways by which the nature and scope of conflicts have been affected by a variety of internal and external factors that ultimately results in either the peaceful termination of the conflict with the commencement of peace building initiatives or could result in the further mutation or escalation of the conflict. 

The transformation process has been influenced by several factors: a) the nature of conflict and its objectives; b) the role of the state and the non-state actors to the process of transformation of the conflict either to its peaceful culmination or its violent escalation; c) the internal and external security linkages to the conflict; d) the role of regional proxy wars and conflicts; e) the regional and international milieu that has resulted in the gradual cessation of armed hostilities and the new ground for peace initiatives; f) the economic factors that have induced in the resolution of the conflict; g) the level and scope of international intervention and mediation in regional conflicts; h) the performance and prospects of Peace building in the process of transformation of conflicts could be some of the factors that are attributable to this theme of study and analysis.

South Asia has been known to be one of the intense conflict-prone regions. Conflicts in South Asia have been in various levels of metamorphosis and also have experienced transformations that have led to its escalation or even its resolution. The region has been contending with several conflicts viz; internal—ethnic, religious, regional and sub-regional, social and economic alienation; external—interstate, external support to internal proxy conflicts; international intervention that has led to conflict aggravation etc.

The proposed seminar on “Conflict Transformation and Peace Building in South Asia” is an endeavour by the Department of International Studies, Stella Maris College-an academic institution and the Centre for Security Analysis, Chennai a policy research think tank that encourages independent policy research with a non-partisan and non-profit locus.

Objectives:

 

Ø      To review the academic and policy perspectives of Conflict and Peace   

Building South Asia

 

Ø      To analyse the matrices process of the Transformation of Conflicts and State                  

Intervention in South Asia

 

Ø      To examine the issues and challenges of the South Asian Actors and their 

approaches to Conflict Transformation and Peace Building

 

Ø      To assess the scope and effectiveness of international intervention and responses to Peace building process in South Asia