International Journal of Conflict Engagement and Resolution

Article

Success in Conflict Intervention Is What We Make of It but Significance Is the Goal

Keywords conflict intervention research, measure of success, measure of significance, third party impact, mediation
Authors Brian Polkinghorn en Abraham (Avi) Mozes-Carmel
DOI
Author's information

Brian Polkinghorn
Brian Polkinghorn is Distinguished Professor and Program Director at the Department of Conflict Analysis and Dispute Resolution and Executive Director at the Bosserman Center for Conflict Resolution, Salisbury University, USA.

Abraham (Avi) Mozes-Carmel
Abraham (Avi) Mozes-Carmel Senior Research Fellow at the Bosserman Center for Conflict Resolution, Salisbury University, USA.
  • Abstract

      This article examines two issues relating to why and how we measure and derive any meaning of ‘success’ regarding the effective intervention into conflict episodes. The first issue focuses on who we say we are in relation to what we do as interveners and researchers who occupy an eclectic and clustered field of study and practice. We argue the field itself impacts the framing of success and as such we should resist the urge to fuse the field into tightly bound conceptual frameworks or through any unifying theories and remain – at least for now – a wide open and diverse conglomerate so as to focus our attention on the fission of unique ideas. The second issue argues that there is no one universal or ‘normal’ framework or method relating to how we measure success in conflict intervention. Therefore we argue that the measure of success is not the true aim of conflict intervention research, but rather gaining an understanding of the significance and impact the process and intervener have on the parties.

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