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"Theory and Practice of Conflict Resolution" Study Group

Purpose
 The “Theory and Practice of Conflict Resolution” (TPCR) study group will assess the current situation of the theory and practice of conflict resolution by examining various armed conflicts in the contemporary world, ranging from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. It will take into consideration the linkage between Euro-Atlantic security and Indo-Pacific security, while examining the structural tensions in the contemporary world. The TPCR Study Group will seek to propose new solutions that contribute to conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
 Theories of conflict resolution, including conflict analysis, mediation, state-building, and peacebuilding, have significantly developed since the end of the Cold War. This development coincided with advancements in policy practices of conflict resolution through military intervention, international peace operations, development, and humanitarian aid. However, the nature of armed conflicts has changed so much for various reasons including the advent of the age of the Global War on Terror. Many ongoing contemporary armed conflicts including the Russo-Ukraine War and the Crisis over Gaza are also posing many challenges to existing theories of conflict resolution. The significant phenomenon of international intra-state conflicts impels us to develop our understanding of armed conflicts. The TPCR Study Group thus examines how new theoretical frameworks can be developed to better reflect the complex reality of contemporary armed conflicts.
 Practices of conflict resolution, represented by international peace operations, are undergoing drastic changes. While UN peacekeeping missions remain a significant tool, they are no longer exclusively dominant, as there has been a significant reduction in budget and personnel. Various non-UN peace operations, composed of (sub-)regional organizations as well as ad-hoc coalitions of like-minded states, have been frequently established over the last three decades. These partnerships take various forms, and there is a growing need to link conflict resolution operations with international security measures in the age of international intra-state wars, the War on Terror and superpower rivalry. The TPCR Study Group also seeks to identify clues to develop new policies for international peace operations in the changing reality of the world.
 The first major focus of the TPCR Study Group is the prospects and possibilities of conflict resolution as well as long-term reconstruction plans for Ukraine. The overall structural perspective of the TPCR Study Group is to theorize the linkage between the Indo-Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic and explore new practices of conflict resolution in these regions. The TPCR Study Group will also discuss cases in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia and remain active for at least three years.

Activities
1. Regular Monthly Meetings: We hold regular monthly meetings. For the time being, we continue to concentrate upon Ukraine-related issues with core regular members online. The results of our discussions will be presented at the time of public conferences, ROLES Commentaries, ROLES Review, etc. 
2. Occasional Topical Meeting: We will discuss contemporary armed conflicts as well as conflict resolution policies in theory and practice by holding occasional topical meetings, which take place in irregular manners. We shall focus on the seasonal topics in accordance with the development of events in the contemporary world.
3. Ad-hoc Overseas Meetings: We will hold meetings outside of Japan by utilizing our partnership with overseas institutions.  We shall discuss structural tensions in the contemporary world with special reference to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) and its relevance to conflict resolution with overseas institutions which share the same interest.

Agendas
1. What are the conditions for ending the Russo-Ukraine War? While considering theories such as W. Zartman’s “ripeness,” the TPCR Study Group will explore and examine the conditions for conflict resolution in Ukraine from both theoretical and policy perspectives. Specifically, we will focus on the importance of “deterrence” mechanisms and scrutinize policy issues related to schemes for “security guarantees” that supporting countries like Japan can provide.
2. Many of the armed conflicts occurring in the contemporary world have elements of both international conflicts and intra-state conflicts, which can be called “international intra-state wars.” Typical examples include the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. In fact, few wars exist solely as either international or domestic conflicts. Theoretical frameworks for conflict resolution based on an artificial distinction between international and intra-state armed conflicts cannot address the realities of the 21st century. With this awareness, the TPCR Study Group will analyze various cases of armed conflict in war-prone areas from the Middle East to Africa. The manners of Japan’s involvement through policies for peace contributions in each case will also become significant policy agendas.
3. Structural tensions in the contemporary world not only influence current individual armed conflicts but also exist as potential causes of future armed conflicts. The structural conflicts between super-powers such as the US and China, tensions between industrialized nations represented by the G7 and emerging nations represented by BRICS, and the clash between Western countries advocating for a liberal international order and non-Western countries pursuing a refresh of the international order led by the Global South are predicted to further intensify. While emphasizing the perspective of “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)” advocated by Japanese diplomacy, the TPCR Study Group will analyze structural conflicts in the contemporary world and explore the direction of desirable diplomatic policies.

Members
(Chair)
- Hideaki Shinoda (Chair) | Professor of Graduate School of Global Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS); Visiting Senior Research Fellow of ROLES, RCAST, University of Tokyo
<Ukraine Group>
- Tomonori Yoshizaki | Professor of Graduate School of Global Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS)
- Fedorchenko-Kutuyev Pavlo | Professor at the Department of Social Sciences, Kyiv School of Economics, Adjunct Professor of Sociology and Sociology Department Chair, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI)
- Anna Mykolayivna Ishchenko | Senior Lecturer and Deputy Dean of FSP for international activities, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI)
- Olena Akimova Kasatnika | Docent and Acting Dean of the Faculty of Sociology and Law, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI)
- Iurii Perga | Associate Professor and Vice-Dean for Research and Innovation, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI)
- Philip Setler-Jones | Senior Research Fellow for Indo-Pacific Security, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
＜East African Group＞
- Mika Inoue｜Professor, Toyo Gakuen University
- Simon Nyambura | IGAD Leadership Academy
- Markos Rike | former State Minister of MFA Ethiopia, former Ambassador of Ethiopia to Japan and Egypt
- Yonas Ashine | Head of the Department of Political Science and International Relations, Addis Ababa University
- Abdifatah Aden Abdi | Peacebuilding and Conflict Advisor, Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation [MOIFAR], Somalia
- Abdooulkader Houssein Mohamed | Research economist at the Institute of Political and Strategic Studies [IEPS] at the Center for Studies and Research of Djibouti [CERD])
- Stephen Mogaka | Independent Consultant based in Nairobi, Kenya who specializes in the international relations and the political economy of Eastern Africa
- Rosalind Nyawira | Former Director of the National Counter Terrorism Center, Kenya
＜South Asia Group＞
-  Masato Toriya｜Associate Professor, Graduate School of Global Studies, Tokyo University of Foregin Studies
- Harinda R. Vidanage | Director, Centre for Strategic Assessment, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University 
- Chaminda Padmakumara | Professor and Head of Department of International Relations, University of Colombo
- Nilanthan Niruthan, Executive Director, Centre for Law and Security Studies (CLASS)  
- K. A. Sandunika Hasangani | Senior Lecture, Open University
- Sahani Welikala | Managing Director, Conley Teas & Student of International Relations) 
- Ajith Balasooriya | University of Colombo
 - Md Jahangir Alam | University of Dhaka 
- Ali Aqa Mohammad Jawad | Program Coordinator, HPC
Publications
・Hideaki Shinoda and Pavlo Fedorchenko-Kutuyev (eds.), The Imapcts of the Russo-Ukrainian War: Theoretical and Practical Explorations of Policy Agendas for Peace in Ukraine (Springer, 2025).
・ROLES Commentary No.37: Mahfuz Kabir and Shanjida Shahab Uddin, "FOIP and BIG-B: Bangladesh in Perspective"
・ROLES Commentary No.28: Abdifatah Aden Abdi, "Somalia's Perspective on the Free and Open Indo-Pacific: A Path to Peace and Conflict Resolution"
・ROLES Commentary No.27: Philip Shetler Jones, "A common problem of status quo vs. revolutionary foreign policies narrows the scope for conflict resolution in the Indo-Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic"
・ROLES Working Papers [日本語版] オレナ・アキモヴァ、イウリイ・ペルガ、アンナ・イシュチェンコ 「紛争地域における地域（コミュニティ）レジリエンス：紛争解決と復興の可能性の要因を探る」
・ROLES Working Papers [日本語版] 篠田英朗 「紛争解決の理論と実践の批評的な検討：『国際的な国内武力紛争』にはどのようにアプローチすべきか？」
・ROLES Working Papers: Olena Akimova, Iurii Perga and Anna Ishchenko: "Local (community) Resilience in Conflict zone Regions: in the search for Factors of Conflict resolution and Recovery Potential"
・ROLES Working Papers: Hideaki Shinoda: "A Critical Examination of Theories and Practices of Conflict Resolution: How do we approach "international intra-state armed conflicts"?"
・ROLES COMMENTARY No.21 篠田英朗「ガザ危機に直面する日本が追求すべきこと」
Conference Papers: 2024.05.22 (Wed.): Hideaki Shinoda: "What Japan Should Pursue in the Face of the Gaza Crisis"

Activity records

2025.09.20 (Sat.)

News

Announcements

7th Regular Meeting of JFY2025 (16 September 2025) Final Preparation for ROLES Review: “South Asia from the Perspective of Geopolitics and Conflict Resolution”

2025.09.20 (Sat.)

News

Announcements

6th Regular Meeting of JFY2025 (12 September 2025) “JICA’s ongoing response to Ukraine crisis”

2025.08.01 (Fri.)

News

Announcements

5th Regular Meeting of JFY2025 (13 July 2025) “Preparatory Meeting for ROLES Review “Conflict Resolution in Eastern Africa and FOIP”

2025.06.25 (Wed.)

News

Announcements

4th Regular Meeting of JFY2025 (23 June 2025) “Preparatory Meeting for ROLES Review “Conflict Resolution in South Asia”

2025.06.10 (Tue.)

News

Announcements

3rd Regular Meeting of JFY2025 (10 June 2025) “Challenges for International Peace, Development and Humanitarian Assistance”

2025.06.05 (Thu.)

News

Announcements

2nd Regular Meeting of JFY2025 (3 Jun 2025) “Ripeness and MEO (Mutually Enticing Opportunities): Discussions about The Impacts of the Russo-Ukrainian War”

2025.05.31 (Sat.)

News

Announcements

1st Regular Meeting of JFY2025 (27 May 2025) “Preparatory Meeting for ROLES Review “Conflict Resolution in South Asia”

2025.03.01 (Sat.)

Event

Seminar

Research Seminar: “Book Launch: The Impacts of the Russo-Ukrainian War : Theoretical and Practical Explorations of Policy Agendas for Peace in Ukraine”

2025.02.09 (Sun.)

News

Announcements

Hideaki Shinoda, Pavlo Fedorchenko-Kutuyev Eds. The Impacts of the Russo-Ukrainian War: Theoretical and Practical Explorations of Policy Agendas for Peace in Ukraine, published

2025.02.04 (Tue.)

News

Announcements

The report of the inaugural meeting of the research group titled "The ICC International Criminal Court) in Crisis: Navigating the Turbulence of International Politics."

2025.01.25 (Sat.)

News

Announcements

The report of the meeting in Nairobi, Kenya

2024.12.18 (Wed.)

News

Announcements

The report of meetings in New Delhi, India and Colombo, Sri Lanka

2024.11.04 (Mon.)

News

Events

ROLES-TUFS-BIISS Dialogue on Bangladesh in Transition: New Directions for FOIP and BIG-B

2024.11.02 (Sat.)

News

Announcements

4th Regular Meeting of JFY2024 (2 November 2024) "The impacts of Russo-Ukraine War: Theoretical and Practical Explorations of Policy Agendas for Peace in Ukraine"

2024.10.23 (Wed.)

News

Announcements

3rd Regular Meeting of JFY2024 (23 October 2024) "The impacts of Russo-Ukraine War: Theoretical and Practical Explorations of Policy Agendas for Peace in Ukraine"

2024.06.14 (Fri.)

News

Announcements

2nd Regular Meeting of JFY2024 (14 June 2024) "Prospects of Ukraine's Integration into the Global Security Order based on End-of-war Scenarios"

2024.04.04 (Thu.)

News

Announcements

1st Regular Meeting of JFY2024 (4 April 2024) "Towards Policy Recommendations for Conditions for Conflict Resolution for Ukraine"

2024.02.27 (Tue.)

Event

Symposium

International Conference "Conflict Resolution in the Contemporary World: The Future of Ukraine and the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)"

2024.01.15 (Mon.)

Event

Others

7th Regular Meeting of JFY2023 (15 January 2024) “Lessons of Recent Practices of Conflict Resolution and their Implications for Ongoing Conflicts in the World”

2023.12.12 (Tue.)

Event

Others

6th Regular Meeting of JFY2023 (12 December 2023) “Polemic Points of Recent Theories of Conflict Resolution from the Perspective of Ongoing Conflicts in the World”

2023.11.02 (Thu.)

Event

Others

5th Regular Meeting of JFY2023 (2 November 2023) “The Linkage between Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Security”

2023.10.09 (Mon.)

Event

Others

4th Regular Meeting of JFY2023 (9 October 2023) “Security Guarantee for Ukraine?”

2023.09.18 (Mon.)

Event

Others

3rd Regular Meeting of JFY2023 (18 September 2023) “NATO’s Peace Operations after the Cold War: Implications for the Indo-Pacific Region and Ukraine”

2023.08.29 (Tue.)

Event

Others

2nd Regular Meeting of JFY2023 (29 August 2023) “Assessments of the Impacts of the Russo-Ukraine War”

2023.08.11 (Fri.)

Event

Others

1st Regular Meeting of JFY2023 (11 August 2023) “Formulating the Initial Framework of the Study Group”

2023.07.24 (Mon.)

News

Announcements

MFO Director General Elizabeth L. Dibble visits ROLES

Members

Chair

Hideaki SHINODA

Education: PhD in International Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), University of London, UK (1998), MA in Political Science, Waseda University, Japan (1993), BA, Waseda University, Japan (1991). 
Professional Positions) After working as a part-time teacher at LSE and Keele University, he took a research fellow position at the Institute for Peace Science of Hiroshima University, where he became Associate Professor. Then, he took the current position at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies in 2013. He has been a visiting scholar at the Lauterpacht Research Centre for International Law, Cambridge University (2000) and at the Center for the Study of Human Rights, Columbia University (2002). He was Visiting Professional at the International Criminal Court (2017).
Publications) He is the author of many books and articles including Partnership Peace Operations: UN and Regional Organizations in Multiple Layers of International Security (Routledge, 2024). He has received academic awards including Osaragi Jiro Rondan Award of Asahi Newspaper (2003), Suntory Academic Award (2012), Yomiuri Yoshino Sakuzo Award of Yomiuri Newspaper (2017).

Tomonori YOSHIZAKI

He was Vice President for Academic Affairs of Japan MoD’s National Institute for Defence Studies (NIDS). At NIDS, He was Director of Policy Simulation (2015-22), and Director of Security Studies Department (2011-2015) at NIDS.  He has been regularly attending NATO Defence College Conference of Commandants (COC), and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Meeting of Head of National Defense Universities/Colleges/Institutions. He is currently a visiting professor/lecture at Self-Defence Forces Staff Colleges, Tokyo University for Foreign Studies, and National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS). Previously, he was an assistant director of Office of Strategic Studies of MoD, a visiting scholar at Kings College London, and Hudson Institute; His areas of expertise include alliance management, European security and NATO, Japan’s security policy and peace operations.

Anna Mykolayivna Ishchenko

Education: obtained a Bachelor's degree at the National Technical University of Ukraine, Faculty of Sociology—postgraduate study in philosophy of education at National Technical University of Ukraine, faculty of sociology and law. Anna Mykolayivna Ischenko has a strong sociology background and extensive field experience, including a diverse range of research interests and practical activities. Her work in applied sociology, human capital development, and education philosophy demonstrates her commitment to contributing to the field of sociology and society at large.
Education: Bachelor's degree National Technical University of Ukraine "Kyiv Polytechnic Institute" (Kyiv), Faculty of Sociology Specialty "Sociology."
Career: has had an internship at Masaryk University Training Week (MUST Week) under the Erasmus+ program, Scientific and Practical Seminar: "Qualitative Methods in Sociological Research" (Higher School of Sociology at the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine) and currently the Director of the Scientific Research Center of Applied Sociology "Sotsioplus", 
Field of Scientific Interests:
Applied Sociology
Factors of Formation and Development of Human Capital
Philosophy of Education
Expert Research Methods
Publications: Some of her publications include: "Formation of a Positive Image of a Female Manager in the Civil Service" (co-authored with A. A. Melnychenko, O. A. Akimova, and others) - Published by the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards of the European Union.
"Foresight of the Development of the Defense-Industrial Complex of Ukraine in the Time Horizon of 2021–2030" (as the Scientific Project Manager) - Published by the National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute" and many other titles.

Iurii Perga

Education: Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, postgraduate study of National Technical University of Ukraine "Kyiv Polytechnic Institute" Wroclaw University Candidate of Historical Sciences and internship with the University of Warsaw, Bergen-Belsen Memorial, and Vytautas Magnus University.
Interests: Ukrainian-Polish relations in the first half of the twentieth century; history of ICT development in the EU
Publications: author of 20+ scientific publications

Olena Akimova

Education: National Technical University of Ukraine "Kyiv Polytechnic Institute"
(now - KPI named after Igor Sikorskyi), Faculty of Sociology, speciality "administrative management" and an Honors degree. Faculty of Sociology, postgraduate, speciality
"philosophy".
Career: She has teaching experience at the "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute" from 2016 to present at the Department of Management Theory and Practice, Department of Philosophy and Department of Sociology and Law, KPI.
Areas of Interests: Higher Education 
- Policy Analysis 
- Public governance 
- Sustainability 
- Information Society
Some of her publications include Improvement of Ways of Human Capital Development as a Factor of Increase Mobilization Potential of Ukraine: Monograph, Management in the sphere of education and science to ensure the sustainable development of the state and regions. She has over 50 scientific publications and co-authors, 11 collective publications and 14 articles.

Fedorchenko-Kutuyev Pavlo

Education: Habilitation (Doctor of Sciences) in Sociology, Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University (2005), Master of Public Administration, Institute of Public Administration and Local Government, Cabinet of Ministers, Ukraine, with a major in Law and Politics (1995), Kandydat Nauk (Ph.D.) in Sociology, Institute of Sociology at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (1994), Ph.D. Candidate in Sociology, Kyiv State University of Economics (1993-1994), Diploma of Higher Education (MA) in Sociology with the highest distinction (summa cum laude), Taras Shevchenko Kyiv University (1993).
Career: Professor of Sociology, Sociology Department Chair, and Visiting Scholar at esteemed institutions in Ukraine and abroad. His career highlights include: Professor of Sociology and Sociology Department Chair, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (2013-Present), Visiting Scholar at prestigious institutions such as Stanford University (USA), University of Tokyo (Japan), St. John's College (Oxford University, UK), and others. Deputy Editor-in-Chief of KPI Journal of Sociology, Political Science, and Law (2013-Present), Executive Director of the Center for Comparative Politics, a Ukrainian non-governmental think tank (1993-1999).
Areas of Specialties: History of Sociology, Historical Sociology, Contemporary sociological theory, Sociology of development and modernization, Political Sociology, Conflict Resolution
Some publications: he has published some teaching manuals and 75 textbooks and articles.

Philip Shetler-Jones

Education: University of Sheffield, UK National Institute of Japanese studies, PhD

Career: various positions at Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) , Chatham House, World Economic Forum (WEF) , OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, Ukraine, EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) Georgia, UK Stabilisation Unit, ASEAN Regional Forum, NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe (SHAPE), European External Action Service (EEAS), United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations,  United Nations Mission in Sudan, UNPROFOR, IFOR.

Adjunct Member

Michito TSURUOKA

Education: Keio University Faculty of Law, Georgetown University's graduate school and Georgetown University's graduate school, PhD in War Studies, King's College London
Areas of Expertise: International security, European politics, NATO; European integration, European politics, international security, NATO, the EU, nuclear policy, extended deterrence, and defence diplomacy. 
Career: Specialist researcher at the Japanese Embassy in Belgium at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in charge of NATO, researcher at the GMF (German et al.), Instructor at the National Institute for Defense Studies at the Ministry of Defense from 2009 to 2017, multilateral security in the Asia-Pacific International Policy Division of the Defense Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Defense (Defense Department), in charge of, particularly ADMM Plus (Expanded ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting, visiting researcher at RUSI (Royal Institute for Defense and Security Studies). Concurrently serves as a senior researcher at the Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research.

Adjunct Member

Yoshihiko Okabe

Education: Doctor of Philosophy in History Chubu University2021/09/30
Doctor of Philosophy in Economics Kobe Gakuin University2015/03
Research Areas: Humanities & Social Sciences Economic history Ukrainian Studies
Humanities & Social Sciences Historical studies in general
Research Interests
General studies of Ukraine
Ukraine Political economy of Ukraine
Ukrainian diaspora in Manchuria Harbin 

Adjunct Member

Atsuko HIGASHINO

Professor, Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences
Specialised in international relations theory, European international politics, EU Eastern enlargement and external relations.

Publications

2024.07.24 (Wed.)

Commentary

Abdifatah Aden Abdi, "Somalia's Perspective on the Free and Open Indo-Pacific: A Path to Peace and Conflict Resolution" (ROLES Commentary No. 28)

2024.07.24 (Wed.)

Commentary

Philip Shetler-Jones, "A common problem of status quo vs. revolutionary foreign policies narrows the scope for conflict resolution in the Indo-Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic" (ROLES Commentary No. 27)

2024.07.14 (Sun.)

Paper

［Working Papers］Olena Akimova, Iurii Perga, Anna Ishchenko "Local (community) Resilience in Conflict zone Regions: in the search for Factors of Conflict resolution and Recovery Potential"

2024.07.14 (Sun.)

Paper

［Working Papers］Hideaki Shinoda "A Critical Examination of Theories and Practices of Conflict Resolution: How do we approach 'International intra-state armed conflicts'?"

2024.05.22 (Wed.)

Commentary

[Conference Papers] Hideaki Shinoda "What Japan Should Pursue in the Face of the Gaza Crisis"

2023.10.06 (Fri.)

Commentary

ROLES INSIGHTS No. 2023-4 : The Problematic Nature of the Naming of the “Ukraine War”

2023.10.03 (Tue.)

Commentary

ROLES INSIGHTS No.2023-03: "Shifting Trust: Ukrainian Sentiments Towards Social Institutions Before and During War"

2023.09.25 (Mon.)

Commentary

ROLES INSIGHTS No.2023-02: "Assessment of the Political Impact of the Russo-Ukraine War"

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