Functional Coexistence in Socio-political Conflict: Enabling Social Change across Decades
ANNOUNCEMENTS, 27 Jan 2025
Tatsushi Arai - TRANSCEND Media Service
Book Launch, Webinar Announcement
25 Jan 2025 – Peace and conflict researchers, as well as intervention practitioners, have long focused on preventing, resolving, and recovering from destructive social conflict. However, little attention has been given to strategies for remaining constructively engaged in unresolved conflicts where resolution efforts have not yielded results. The recently released open-access book Functional Coexistence in Socio-political Conflict: Enabling Social Change across Decades (Routledge), edited by Tatsushi Arai and Margarita Tadevosyan, addresses this issue, broadening the scope of peacemaking practices within the context of enduring conflicts.
Functional coexistence refers to a pragmatic relationship of mutual non-recognition, sustained in the absence of physical violence. As contributors to the first book on this topic, a team of leading peacebuilding scholar-practitioners discuss the rationale and implications of functional coexistence, including case studies and its potential for practical conflict intervention. By bridging theory with evidence and vision with practice, the authors provide guideposts for sustained conflict intervention, offer examples of peace potential within the context of functional coexistence, and identify common pathways to change.
Rather than losing hope based on traditional expectations of conflict resolution and reconciliation, this pioneering study of conflict non-resolution demonstrates the power of tenacious pragmatism, strategically informed by a decades-long historical perspective on change.
The following book launch events will introduce the concept of functional coexistence and explore its implications for peacemaking practice.
INTERNATIONAL WEBINAR
JANUARY 31 (FRIDAY), 9:00-10:15 AM Eastern Standard Time
Co-sponsored by: The International Studies Association’s Peace Studies Section, School of Peace and Conflict Studies (SPCS), Kent State University, and The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University
Link to session details and registration.
MODERATOR: Margarita Tadevosyan (George Mason University)
PANELISTS:
- Tatsushi Arai (Kent State University) Theory
- SungYong Lee (Soka University) Cambodia
- Roger Mac Ginty (Durham University) Northern Ireland
- Jefferey Helsing (George Mason University) Synthesis & Lessons Learned
SEMINAR IN PERSON, WITH A CALL-IN OPTION:
FEBRUARY 3 (MONDAY), 15:00–16:30 Eastern Standard Time
Venue: Carter School Conference Room 5183; 3434 Washington Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia, 5th Floor, Suite 5000, George Mason University (Link to event details and registration)
Call-in option: Zoom link (Meeting ID: 934 7765 2844; Passcode: 512283)
MODERATOR: Tatsushi Arai (Kent State University)
PANELISTS
- Margarita Tadevosyan (George Mason University) Theory
- Gül Mescioglu Gür (American University) Cyprus
- Doğa Erlap (American University) The Western Balkans
- Mohammed Abu-Nimer (American University) Arab-Jewish relations in Israel
- Ann Phillips (George Mason University) Armenia-Azerbaijan Relations
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Tatsushi Arai is Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at Kent State University, USA, and a TRANSCEND member.
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 27 Jan 2025.
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