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
(Regular Members)

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
Tomonori Yoshizaki | Professor of Graduate School of Global Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS)
Fedorchenko-Kutuyev Pavlo | 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)
(Adjunct Members)
Yoshihiko Okabe | Professor, Faculty of Economics, Kobe Gakuin University; President, Japanese Association for Ukrainian Studies
Atsuko Higashino | Professor, Graduate School of Business Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, Tsukuba University; Vice-President, Japanese Association for Ukrainian Studies
Michito Tsuruoka | Associate Professor, Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University

Publications

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"