A Review of Australia's Capacity for engagement in International conflict resolution including through Mediation
Research theme: Security and Political Engagement
Duration: April 2014 to April 2015
Research team
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Professor John Langmore, Arts, UoM
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Professor Jonathan Goodhand, Arts, UoM
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Professor John Braithwaite, Law, ANU
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Dr Aran Martin, Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University
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Mr Nathan Shea, Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University
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Dr Jeremy Farrall, College of Diplomacy, ANU
Project summary
This project studies the Australian use of mediation and other instruments of peaceful conflict resolution, and the current institutional motivation and capacity to undertake, resource and support peaceful conflict resolution techniques.
The United Nations Charter requires member states to seek to settle international disputes through peaceful means, but recent Australian governments have tended to emphasise military responses to conflict (See for example the last several Defence White Papers). There have however been some attempts to promote peacemaking, for example in Cambodia, Timor Lesté, Bougainville, and the Solomon Islands. Yet there is no coordinated engagement with mediation or other forms of peaceful conflict resolution as a thematic priority in Australia's foreign engagement apparatuses.
Through the comprehensive analysis of previous Australian initiatives and policy statements, as well as qualitative interviews with key current and previous policymakers, ministers and parliamentarians and non-government participants and observers the research project aims to review the motivations and capacity of Australian government institutions to offer and use mediation and other peaceful techniques in regional intra-and international conflicts. The project would be the first of its kind, and aims to initiate a conversation within Australian political and academic institutions as to how government resources can best be prioritised to promote regional peace and security.
Latest News
Australian Mediation and Peacemaking Project Round Table Report
This document reports on the key themes discussed at the Australian Mediation and Peacemaking Round Table, held at the Australian National University in Canberra in 2014.