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This essay examines the extent to which scholarly work offers new insights into the problematique of conflict prevention & whether there are any significant alterations in the international management of conflict. The existing literature generally exhibits a number of methodological & theoretical weaknesses, which makes conflict prevention less useful as an analytical concept. In practice, states & IGOs tend to dominate conflict prevention, but NGOs are increasingly important actors since most contemporary conflicts concern unstable state-society relations. (Inter)governmental-NGO relations in conflict prevention are characterized by cost-benefit calculations, shared normative concerns, & competing understandings of peace. As a way of bridging the gap between theory & practice, the author argues for a stronger emphasis by academics on diagnosis & cumulative knowledge of contemporary conflicts rather than endeavors to predict them. Adapted from the source document.

Mediation is a popular process to prevent conflicts over common resources, but there is little clean insight into its effectiveness and mechanisms. Our experimental approach allows for a comprehensive analysis of third-party intervention into potential conflicts and circumvents key problems linked to the analysis of field data. A mediator who credibly threatens punishment in the case of uncooperative behavior achieves the efficient solution in most cases. Similar results are obtained even if the mediator is biased toward one party or has no incentive to intervene. When cooperation fails, communication without credible punishment threats leads to particularly low payouts for the "losing" party. [Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications Inc., copyright holder.]

This issue of International Negotiation focuses on coordination in conflict resolution. It includes nine articles that discuss theoretical concerns & practical insights about coordination among organizations involved in various aspects of conflict prevention, conflict resolution & peacebuilding, highlighting the utility of applying negotiation theory to the analysis of their relationships, interactions, & cooperative processes. This article presents a thematic overview of the articles & concludes by outlining areas for further development of theory & practice. Adapted from the source document.

Mediation is a popular process to prevent conflicts over common resources, but there is little clean insight into its effectiveness and mechanisms. Our experimental approach allows for a comprehensive analysis of third-party intervention into potential conflicts and circumvents key problems linked to the analysis of field data. A mediator who credibly threatens punishment in the case of uncooperative behavior achieves the efficient solution in most cases. Similar results are obtained even if the mediator is biased toward one party or has no incentive to intervene. When cooperation fails, communication without credible punishment threats leads to particularly low payouts for the "losing" party.

Introduction : why examine subregional sources and dynamics of conflict / Chandra Lekha Sriram and Zoe Nielsen -- Understanding conflicts in the Horn of Africa / Edmond J. Keller -- Stability and change in Central Asia / Gregory Gleason -- Sources of conflict in West Africa / Comfort Ero and Jonathan Temin -- Dynamics of conflict in Central America / Chandra Lekha Sriram -- Implications for conflict prevention / Zoe Nielsen

AbstractBased on interviews conducted in Burundi with representatives of women's groups, and in light of existing knowledge on conflict prevention and peacebuilding in divided societies, the article critically examines national and international efforts to prevent a re‐emergence of the conflict. It argues that conflict prevention initiatives led by women's groups, though often overlooked and sidelined, could provide important insights for improving operational conflict prevention models. Through their multilevel, low‐key, inclusive, and versatile activities, Burundian women's organizations challenge and complement conventional operational conflict prevention practices that are often ill‐suited to the needs of intrastate conflicts.