Global Notes

• Posted by Craig Zelizer on July 4, 2009 at 12:00pm to: http://www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org/profiles/blog/show?id=780588%3ABlogPost%3A158918&xgs=1

Over the past two decades, many new institutions from governments, foundations and nonprofits have emerged that provide in-depth policy analysis of current conflicts and the effectiveness of existing responses. In order to stay up to date on current crises, success stories in preventing, managing and transforming conflicts, and larger policy lessons for the field, reading reports from many of these institutions is indispensable.

While it is not possible to provide a complete list of all these institutions in the world, I wanted to start off by providing a list of some the key institutions out there. Feel free to suggest additional institutions. Also if you're looking for more media/news reporting, please visit the posting Useful Media Sites for News About Conflict and Peace. For a list of key publishers of books related to peacebuilding see the guide.

In developing the list of policy/think thanks, the goal is to include institutions that provide more in-depth analysis over the long period, examining trends and challenges in the field.

1) SwissPeace -is a practice-oriented peace research institute in the area of conflict analysis and peacebuilding. We research the causes of wars and violent conflicts, develop tools for early recognition of tensions, and formulate conflict mitigation and peacebuilding strategies. Swisspeace contributes to information exchange and networking on current issues of peace and security policy through its analyses and reports as well as meetings and conferences.

2) Berghof Center - aims to occupy the middle-ground between theory and practice in the study of ethnopolitical conflict. Thus we produce research that can generate ideas, tools and resources for the practice of conflict transformation, and we draw on practical experience to generate innovative research and conceptual approaches. Our goal is to contribute not only to an increased understanding of peacemaking and peacebuilding processes, but also actively to support such work. The Center also maintains the very useful Berghof Handbook for Conflict Transformation which is comprehensive and cumulative website resource that provides continually updated cutting-edge knowledge, experience and lessons learned for those working in the field of transforming violent ethnopolitical conflict.

3) International Alert - is an independent peacebuilding organisation that works to lay the foundations for lasting peace and security in communities affected by violent conflict. We work in over 20 countries and territories around the world, both directly with people affected by violent conflict as well as at government, EU and UN levels to shape both policy and practice in building sustainable peace. IA has a very research program providing up to date information on best practice, emerging themes in peacebuilding such as climate change, the intersection of business and peace, gender and more.

4) Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior - is a think tank based in Madrid that aims to provide the best and most innovative thinking on Europe's role in the international arena. It strives to break new ground in its core research interests of peace and security, human rights, democracy promotion, and development and humanitarian aid, and mould debate in governmental and non-governmental bodies through rigorous analysis, rooted in the values of justice, equality and democracy.

5) Conciliation Resources - is an international non-governmental organization registered in the UK as a charity. We work mainly in the South Caucasus, Fiji, Uganda, Sudan and West Africa in partnership with local and international civil society organizations and governments. We also publish Accord: an international review of peace initiatives and are involved in projects in Colombia and the Philippines.

6) CDA Collaborative Learning Projects - CDA Collaborative Learning Projects). We are committed to improving the effectiveness of international actors who provide humanitarian assistance, engage in peace practice, and are involved in supporting sustainable development.

7) The Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research - is an independent think tank, a global network and a website for peace by peaceful means. It inspires a passion for peace from the grassroots to the corridors of power. It promotes conflict-mitigation and reconciliation in general and in selected conflict regions through meticulous on-the-ground research, active listening, education and advocacy.

8) The Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is the principal body through which the OECD deals with issues related to co-operation with developing countries. They provide publications and analysis on peacebuilding, fragile states, gender and more that summarize best practices across key donor agencies.

9) The African Centre for the Constructive Resolution - as a South African-based civil society organisation working throughout Africa to bring creative African solutions to the challenges posed by conflict on the continent. ACCORD's primary aim is to influence political developments by bringing conflict resolution, dialogue and institutional development to the forefront as an alternative to armed violence and protracted conflict. ACCORD specialises in conflict management, analysis and prevention and intervenes in conflicts through mediation, negotiation, training, research and conflict analysis.

10) The Social Science Research Council -has a long-standing commitment to developing better understanding of problems of global security and cooperation, from work on arms control and nuclear proliferation, to emerging social, political, and religious movements, global public health challenges, and persistent forms of conflict and threats to human security.

11) United Nations Development Program - Supports out a wide variety of development projects around the globe. Within UNDP, the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery has a number of relevant publications.

12) The International Crisis Group - is now generally recognized as the world's leading independent, non-partisan, source of analysis and advice to governments, and intergovernmental bodies like the United Nations, European Union and World Bank, on the prevention and resolution of deadly conflict.

13) The United States Institute of Peace - provides the analysis, training and tools that prevent and end conflicts, promotes stability and professionalizes the field of peacebuilding. USIP regularly publishes an array of comprehensive analysis and policy recommendations on current international affairs issues, especially on the prevention and resolution of conflict. USIP resources also include practical tools, training and courses for conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

14) The Peace Action, Training and Research Institute of Romania (PATRIR) is an independent, non-governmental and non-profit organization, active in Romania and internationally since March 2001. The main purpose of PATRIR is to promote peacebuilding, and constructive conflict transformation, and at the same time the prevention of all forms of violence - direct, structural, and cultural - in Romania, and internationally. The organization carries out extensive research, publications and advocacy on peacebuilding practice and effectiveness.

15) Catholic Relief Services - Peacebuilding Division - Peacebuilding emerged as one of CRS' top priorities in 2001. Historically we worked on many activities related to peace and justice, but in the 1990s we began to focus more explicitly on them. This grew in large part out of experiences in East Africa and the Balkans.
We pair peacebuilding with justice to ensure that our activities address the root causes of conflicts and not just surface issues. Justice provides the vision and standards for peace while peacebuilding focuses on the process of how we get there - how we repair relationships and restore broken structures, how we prevent future devastation and how we address current injustices. CRS has a number of excellent publications on peacebuilding practice, trauma healing and more.

16) UN Peacebuilding Commission - is an intergovernmental advisory body of the United Nations that supports peace efforts in countries emerging from conflict, and is a key addition to the capacity of the International Community in the broad peace agenda.