Research methodology and conflict resolution are separate fields of study yet they are inter-disciplinary and inter-related as both tend to scientifically
investigate a particular problem and come up with suggestions for its resolution.
The great goal of avoiding war and achieving peace is an end to
conflict resolution and research is the means to achieve it .In a nutshell we can say that research can lead to the resolution of conflict.
"Only
research – protracted, serious inquiry, data gathering, experimentation, practical experience and careful integration of the findings and insights from many fields of study bring us closer to this ultimate objective."
1
Relevance of research in the present era
Presently international relations are stuck and entangled with a host of conflicts and
through research we come to know that why it is so. On the one hand, the concept of nation state system since the Treaty of Westphalia 1648 has been deep rooted while on the other hand post-Cold War era delivers the
massage of shrinking the world into a global village.The tense relations between the global North and South are because of this very reason and research can fill the gap. Through research one can learn from the mistakes
that man made centuries ago and may not repeat them in future again.
Contribution of research in the process of conflict resolution
Research has widely contributed in the process of conflict resolution. It enables us to understand why some of the major conflicts of
the world remain unresolved and how can they be resolved. Therefore, research has provided a theoretical and conceptual framework to the field new dimensions to the process of conflict resolution.
Research tells us
that the process of conflict resolution needs a problem solving techniques for which the first step is the communication between the conflicting parties. To break down the stereotypes through scholarly workshops,
simulation exercises, negotiations, mediations, arbitration, adjudication etc.
Research enables us to get rid of the traditional and utopian paradigms of conflict resolution. Traditionally conflicts were resolved
through war and decisions were made according to the zero sum game that would only settle the conflicts but did not resolve it. This is evident by the outbreak of Second World War, because the Treaty of Versailles
(1919) was a settlement and not a resolution of the conflict. But research comes up with options of mutual gains and win-win situations.
Research has also wiped out the obsolete security approach and set up
the rule of security as in securing your enemy. It also teaches us that the conflicts, which in spite of many attempts could not be resolved, should be frozen. Here, we can have the examples of European Union (EU) and
ASEAN that how for the sake of the mutual benefits and development of the regions' traditional conflicts between France and Germany or between Indonesia and Malaysia have been frozen.
Research also
contributes to the process of conflict resolution by highlighting the perils of war. For example, researchers of India and Pakistan have outlined the dangers of nuclear war that if India attacks Pakistan most of us will
be extinguished and the activities of life will be paralyzed.2
Research helps in understanding why some of the conflicts of otherworld remain stand still in spite of the fact that many proposals have been
presented for their resolution.
Hurdles highlighted by research in CR
The Power Realistic Theory is still very dominant. In international relations and nations and states have not been able to resolve their
conflicts through peaceful gestures like confidence building measures (CBMs). For example, the Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India.
Research also studies the behavior of individuals as a hurdle in the
process of conflict resolution. For example the coming up of Ariel Sharon to power as Israeli Prime Minister compelled many scholars to predict that the Middle East Peace Process would go in a cold storage because of
his hawkish attitude.
Apart from these, the reluctance of the ruling elite to implement the suggestions proposed by the researchers because of their vested interests in the status quo
situations is another hurdle in conflict resolution which research has highlighted. This is very true for South Asian conflicts. In spite of a number of resolutions of the United Nations (UN), the Kashmir conflict
remains unresolved. Also, the Tamil issue between India and Sri Lanka is gaining intensity day by day because of the unwillingness of the Indian government to solve it.
The scarcity of material resources
is another reason which research has enlightened due to which the relevance of research decreases in the process of conflict resolution.
Apart from the social
research, research in the field of physical sciences has also enhanced the process of conflict resolution. For instance, the remote sensing system of the United States has prevented many states from becoming aggressive
or selling their nuclear technology to other states.
Conclusion
Research is the best ally of peace to win. One must not be discouraged because of the hurdles in the way of research to enhance the
process of conflict resolution. Instead, one should be semi-optimistic because research leads to change and changes do not take place over night. Also conflict resolution is a process and process takes decades to
complete. So one must go on with research in the process of conflict resolution on the hope then graduate researchers of today may be the policymakers of tomorrow and will take rational and pragmatic decisions in
resolving particular conflict. "Since war begins in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men we must begin to erect the rampant of peace."3
John W. Burton has suggested that the United Nations summit
meeting should focus not on arms control but on the employment of proper scholarship in many fields of inquiry.4
It is in this direction UN must go if it is not to be regarded as an irrelevant t body in the field of conflict resolution.
* Student, Department of International Relations, University of Karachi.
