PEACEptions

The peace concept of the project contains three key elements that are closely related and interact with each other:

• the provision of security and physical integrity;
• participation via the guarantee of a set of individual and collective human rights,
• and institutions that transform or manage the relevant conflict.

All these elements contain important normative aspects, but this does not mean that they are Western concepts as violence reduction, participation and conflict transformation are key functions of any political order. However, the means of achieving them and the underlying norms will vary considerably from context to context.

Peace with violence

The containment of violence is important in all societies. Contrary to minimalist concepts equating peace with the absence of war– a very specific form of collective, organized violence – our concept of peace allows for the inclusion of other forms of direct physical violence. This is important as there is no clear boundary between different forms of direct physical violence, at least as far as they have a minimum of social relevance such as the high homicide rates in some Latin American countries. Physical integrity is related to security and protection but it is important to note that both can be provided by state and non-state actors, formal and informal institutions, through the use of force or social control.

Participation in society

The second element of the peace concept is the opportunity to participate in society. Respect for and implementation of basic individual and collective human rights is a key component here. Human rights – individual as well as economic, social and cultural rights – are an important point of reference because they are a central instrument of participation across contexts and are not a Western idea. Following Amartya Sen we argue that human rights are an entitlement of all people and have been signed and ratified by the overwhelming majority of governments.

Peaceful conflict transformation

Given the importance of the underlying conflicts and the broad spectrum of violence, the main challenge on the road to peace is to transform these conflicts so that they do not generate violence and allow for stakeholder participation. Formal and informal institutions play an important role in this process. However, there is no universal answer to the question of how and under what conditions institutions can contribute to peaceful conflict resolution.

There can be both positive and negative interactions between the three elements. Experience in different contexts shows that a lack of physical integrity, i.e., the prevalence of various forms of direct physical violence, limits the scope of action of human rights defenders and the realization of individual and collective human rights. Constructive conflict transformation is needed to demonstrate that these changes bring societal benefits for all. Constructive conflict transformation is thus both a means of preventing violence and a precondition for the realization of human rights.