Yosr Jlidi

The Impact of Conflict Classification on Strategic Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention: A Comparative Historical Analysis of the Rwandan Genocide and the Troubles in Northern Ireland

Started July 12, 2024

Abstract or project description

The haunting promise of "never again" following the Holocaust was a powerful echo through the latter half of the 20th century, which led the international community to create frameworks designed to prevent future atrocities and promote global peace. However, the failure to effectively prevent events of mass atrocities and proficiently sustain peace across the globe is often rooted in severe flaws and limitations within these frameworks. A critical yet under-examined aspect of these shortcomings is the role of conflict classification in shaping peacebuilding strategies as well as conflict prevention. This paper founds the interconnected nature of conflict classification, conflict prevention, and post-conflict peacebuilding and further proves not merely the lack of conceptualization within the international framework for conflict classification but also the selective nature of international involvement in major conflicts in the post-World War II era. This paper conducts a comparative historical analysis of the Rwandan Genocide and the Troubles in Northern Ireland in order to explore how varying approaches to conflict classification, within international parameters as well as scholarly typologies, inform peacebuilding strategies. The study examines significant gaps in existing international frameworks and the ubiquitous representation of conflict typologies in literature and advocates for re-evaluating classification methods to better support effective and sustainable peacebuilding. By addressing these foundational issues, the research aims to contribute to more resilient and contextually appropriate international response.