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Assessing the Conflict

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  • Title: Conflict Assessment
    Author(s): Deborah Shmueli
    Larger Work: Beyond Intractability
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: University of Colorado Conflict Information Consortium
    Year: 2003
    Description: Explains what a conflict assessment is, why/when it is useful, and in broad terms, how it is done.
  • Title: Section II of Berghof Handbook for Conflict Transformation: Analyzing Conflict and Assessing Conflict Transformation
    Larger Work: Berghoff Handbook
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: Berghof Research Center for Constructive Conflict Management
    Year: 2007
    Description: Set of excellent articles describing different aspects of conflict assessment and analysis
  • Title: US Institute of Peace Certificate Course in Conflict Analysis
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: United States Institute of Peace
    Year: 2007
    Description: This course presents an introduction to the subject of conflict analysis, illustrating analytical tools used by practitioners with reference to two extended case studies, the conflict in Kosovo and the genocide in Rwanda.
  • Title: Chapter 5: Building a Negotiating Strategy
    Author(s): Chester Crocker, Fen Osler Hapson, and Pamela Aall
    Larger Work: Taming Intractable Conflicts: Mediation in the Hardest Cases
    Link to: Excerpt
    Publishing Organization: United States Institute of Peace
    Year: 2004
    Description: Describes methods of conflict analysis focused on identifying and understanding the parties, the issues, power balances, turning points and timing, history, conflict status, and context.

Analysis

  • Title: Early Warning
    Author(s): Eric Brahm
    Larger Work: Beyond Intractability
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: University of Colorado Conflict Information Consortium
    Year: 2005
    Description: This article examines what early warning is, how it is done, and how it is used. It also examines the obstacles and pitfalls involved in trying to predict (and prevent) future conflict.
  • Title: Failed States Index
    Author(s): Baker, Pauline
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: Fund for Peace
    Year: 2006
    Description: Profiles of many countries on the "failed states" index with a ranking and explanation of the situation in each country that led to that ranking.
  • Title: Paris-in-LA
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: University of Southern California
    Year: 1997
    Description: This site has three datasets, Haas, Cascon, and Sherfacs, all of which look at conflict event data along with social, political, and economic antecedents to try to develop systems of early warning and recommendations for action
  • Title: Conflict Assessment Organizational Website Search
    Larger Work: Beyond Intractability "Stovepipe Browser"
    Link to: Pre-configured Search
    Publishing Organization: University of Colorado Conflict Information Consortium
    Year: 2007
    Description: Links to articles on Conflict Assessment posted by 100 leading SSTR organizations.

Tools

  • Title: Conflict Mapping
    Author(s): Paul Wehr
    Larger Work: Beyond Intractability
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: University of Colorado Conflict Information Consortium
    Year: 2006
    Description: A basic how-to guide for mapping out, or clarifying, the complexities of conflict.
  • Title: Conducting a Conflict Assessment: A Framework for Analysis and Program Development
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: USAID Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation
    Year: 2004
    Description: A detailed framework for conducting a conflict assessment before or during development projects.
  • Title: Toolbox to Respond to Conflict and Build Peace
    Author(s): Michael Lund
    Larger Work: Conflict Prevention Guide
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: Creative Associates, Inc.
    Description: This framework helps would-be intervenors determine what tool(s) are most appropriate to address which circumstances.
  • Title: Conflict Vulnerability Analysis: Issues, Tools and Responses
    Author(s): Stanley Samarasinghe, Brian Donaldson, and Colleen McGinn
    Larger Work: Conflict Prevention Guide
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: Tulane Institute for International Development Complex Emergency Response and Transition Initiative (CERTI)
    Year: 1999
    Description: Very complete framework for doing a conflict vulnerability assessment with detailed information about each step.
  • Title: Conflict Assessment System Tool (CAST)
    Author(s): Baker, Pauline
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: Fund for Peace
    Year: 2006
    Description: The CAST methodology presents a framework for early warning and assessment of societies at risk of internal conflict and state collapse. The model can be used to enable the international community to take preventive action to stem conflict, prepare for peacekeeping and stability missions, assess conditions for sustainable security and provide metrics or measures of effectiveness for post-conflict reconstruction.
  • Title: Practical Guide to Multi-Lateral Needs Assessments in Post-Conflict Situations
    Author(s): Conflict Senstitivity.org
    Larger Work: Conflict-Sensitive Approaches to Development, Humanitarian Assistance and Peacebuilding: A Resource Pack
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: Conflict Senstitivity.org
  • Title: Development in Conflict: A Seven Step Tool for Planners
    Author(s): Nyheim, David, Manuela Leonhardt and Cynthia Gaigals
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: FEWER, International Alert and SaferWorld
    Year: 2001
    Description: Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment (PCIA) is a planning and management tool that can assist development and humanitarian organizations in analyzing situations of (potential) conflict and identifying strategic opportunities for conflict prevention and peace-building.
  • Title: Measuring the Costs of Conflict
    Author(s): William Ury, Joshua N. Weiss
    Larger Work: Thirdside.org
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: Global Negotiating Project at Harvard University
    Year: 2007
    Description: A tool that enables disputants to measure the cost of conflict to themselves and their community.
  • Title: MindTools: Drill Down - Breaking Problems Into Manageable Parts
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: MindTools, Ltd.
    Description: A simple tool to break complex and seemingly overwhelming problems down into individual manageable parts.

News

  • Title: Minorities at Risk
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: University of Maryland Center for International Development and Conflict Management
    Year: 2004
    Description: The Minorities at Risk (MAR) Project is a university-based research project that monitors and analyzes the status and conflicts of politically-active communal groups in all countries with a current population of at least 500,000
  • Title: Country Profiles and Assessments
    Author(s): Baker, Pauline
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: Fund for Peace
    Year: 2006
    Description: Contains profiles of the conflict vulnerability of many countries
  • Title: Swiss Peace FAST
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: Swiss Peace
    Year: 1998-2008
    Description: FAST International is a political early warning program covering 25 countries/regions in Africa, Asia and Europe. Its objective is the early recognition of potential crisis situations and windows of opportunity for peace building. The website says it was operational from 1998-2008, however in May 2008, it is spoken of in past tense, hence it may no longer be being updated.

Education

  • Title: Dealing Constructively with Intractable Conflicts
    Author(s): Heidi Burgess and Guy Burgess
    Larger Work: Beyond Intractability
    Link to: Webpage
    Publishing Organization: University of Colorado Conflict Information Consortium
    Year: 2007
    Description: This is a college-level course built on the Beyond Intractability website. The course focuses primarily on long-lasting, difficult-to-resolve conflicts, but it also has a lot of general conflict resolution material.