CMES Seminar: Conflict Mediation in the Arab World

Abstract

In the seminar, Isak will discuss his new co-edited book Conflict Mediation in the Arab World (2023, Syracuse University Press, co-edited with Ibrahim Fraihat). The Middle East and North Africa region has been plagued with civil wars, international interventions, and increasing militarization, making it one of the most war-affected areas in the world today. Despite numerous mediation processes and initiatives for conflict resolution, most have failed to transform conflicts from war to peace. Seeking to learn from these past efforts and apply new research, Fraihat and Svensson present the first comprehensive approach to mediation in the Arab world, taking on cases from Yemen to Sudan, from Qatar to Palestine, Syria, and beyond. Conflict Mediation in the Arab World focuses on mediation at three different levels of analysis: between countries, between governments and armed actors inside single countries, and between different communities. In applying this holistic method, the editors identify similarities and differences in the conditions for conflict resolution and management. Drawing upon the work of experts in the field with a deep understanding of the increasing complexities and changing dynamics of the region, this volume offers a valuable resource for academics, policy makers, and practitioners interested in conflict resolution and management in the Middle East and North Africa.

Speaker Bio

Isak Svensson is Professor at the Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University, Sweden. His three main areas of expertise are international mediation, religion and conflict and nonviolent conflicts. He is project leader for the international research project, 2016-2021, Resolving Jihadist Conflicts? Religion, Civil War, and Prospect for Peace.

This seminar is part of the CMES Seminar Series.