“In this extraordinary volume, Matthew Levinger serves as a wise guide through a vast landscape of conflict, war, and peace. His chapters on the causes of war and violence are remarkably clear and thoughtful, followed by a seamless presentation of the most important tools for analyzing complex, chaotic conflict situations. He includes lively, concise case studies that bring his explanations to life, and he presents complex ideas in a way that both professionals and those new to the field can immediately grasp and appreciate. His chapter on “cognitive minefields” is a particularly helpful reminder that we are all hardwired to be susceptible to groupthink and miscalculation, yet some basic self-awareness can help avoid these traps. The central message of this book is one of empowerment: you do not need to be a peacebuilding professional to be able to analyze conflict, and we can all be more effective working in conflict areas if we are fluent with these tools. I recommend this book for anyone working in a conflict zone and for everyone who desires a deeper understanding of the forces for war and peace in our world.”
—Melanie Greenberg, president and CEO, Alliance for Peacebuilding

“More than yet another conflict assessment framework, this comprehensive primer describes a wide array of analytical tools and processes that development, diplomacy, and humanitarian professionals can use to grasp complex conflict situations and avoid cognitive traps in order to engage effectively. Drawing from research in multiple disciplines, the author reviews global trends in conflict and major theories. Using diverse and interesting examples, he then ably explains the distinct functions as well as complementarities of conflict watch lists, early warning, analyses of drivers of conflict and of peace, narratives, conflict and systems mapping, scenarios, participatory rural appraisal, SWOT analysis, and collaborative planning. The appendices provide useful matrices and annotated links to leading conflict databases. Overall, a compelling case for understanding conflicts before responding.”
—Michael S. Lund, senior specialist, conflict and peacebuilding, Management Systems International, Inc.

“This book is a must-read for all analysts and practitioners seeking to cope with conflict. It presents a wealth of techniques for assessing the nature of a conflict and the points of possible intervention. It also discusses the steps and pitfalls in developing a plan of action. Much attention is given to understanding the strengths and weaknesses of one’s own organization and resources as well as the conflict environment. The book is broadly rooted in the literature on analysis and planning and provides good concrete examples at every point. It is a deep and thoroughly practical handbook.”
—Dean G. Pruitt, Distinguished Scholar in Residence, The School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University

“A comprehensive description of the costs of deadly conflict and an important contribution on conflict analysis. Levinger describes how to take an analytical approach to identifying the diverse dimensions fueling conflict.”
—Lisa Schirch, director, 3P Human Security: Partners for Peacebuilding Policy, and research professor, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, Eastern Mennonite University