Conflict Analysis Research Centre - CARC

08/09/2019

The new revamped CARC website is live! Check it out for information on CARC members, activities, events and the exciting research that takes place within CARC!

The Conflict Analysis Research Centre (CARC) at the University of Kent is a multi-disciplinary Faculty Research Centre. It is based in the School of Politics and International Relations but can draw on the expertise of other Schools such as History, Anthropology, Psychology, the School of Social Pol...

05/06/2019

Citizen Preferences in the Design of Effective Peace Settlements: introducing The Settlement Scenario Toolkit- an innovation in peace and public opinion studies.

At the conference “Cyprus and Challenges in Constitutional Transitions” held in Nicosia in April, Kent Researchers presented a cooperative research project including a toolkit that maps cross-community preferences aiming to increase awareness of public opinion results and bringing citizens’ voices to the negotiation table, safeguarding the chances of durable and legitimate solutions.

Full conference report and link to the toolkit:

05/06/2019

At the conference “Cyprus and Challenges in Constitutional Transitions” held in Nicosia in April, Kent Researchers presented a cooperative research project including a toolkit that maps cross-community preferences aiming to increase awareness of public opinion results and bringing citizens’ voices to the negotiation table- safeguarding the chances of durable and legitimate solutions.

Full conference report and link to the toolkit:

Cyprus and Challenges in Constitutional Transitions: Conference Report Nicosia, Cyprus 08-10 April 2019 By elg37 | 05 June 2019 The three-day conference focused on international cross-learning in the area of constitutional transitions as well as new innovative tools in their study. It was funded b...

04/06/2019

In our latest blog post, Elsa Lilja reflects on her experience as an intern at the Conflict Analysis Research Centre and how it gave her useful background and helped her build transferable skills as she pursues a career in international relations:

My Internship Experience- Elsa Lilja By elg37 | 04 June 2019 Elsa Lilja, a graduate student of International Relations and EU External Relations at the University of Kent, was undertaking an internship at the Conflict Analysis Research Centre (CARC) from October 2018 to May 2019. In this post, Els...

31/05/2019

In this blog post, Craig Mishler (M.A. Peace and Conflict Studies) discusses the disadvantages of external peace building in Liberia and Sierra Leone:

The Disadvantages of External Peacebuilding in Liberia and Sierra Leone By Craig Mishler (M.A. Peace and Conflict Studies) By elg37 | 31 May 2019 As the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone were coming to a close in the early 2000s, it became apparent among the international community, as has be...

31/05/2019

In the latest post on our blog, Theresa Bachmann (M.A. Peace and Conflict studies) discusses the link between truth commissions and reconciliation through theories within the wider transitional justice and conflict transformation field:

Truth Commissions and Reconciliation: The Example of South Africa By Theresa Bachmann (M.A. Peace and Conflict Studies) By elg37 | 31 May 2019 Introduction Post-conflict societies face significant challenges. Looking backwards, a difficult past characterised by gross human rights violations and ma...

12/05/2019

As my time as a CARC intern comes to an end, I've written a short piece about my experiences and tips for incoming interns over the next academic year.
Link here: https://blogs.kent.ac.uk/carc/2019/05/12/my-experience-as-a-carc-intern-valeria-minisini/

- Valeria Minisini, MA International Relations with International Law

My Experience as a CARC Intern – Valeria Minisini By vm259 | 12 May 2019 As my time as a CARC intern comes to an end, I though I would use this post to talk about my experience over the past few months and offer some tips for the incoming interns who will join at the beginning of the 2019/2020 a...

07/05/2019

Everyone at CARC would like to congratulate Stevo Pendarovski for winning the first presidential elections in North Macedonia!
Stevo Pendarovski was the keynote speaker at a workshop in Belfast in 2016, which was run by CARC.
Please find the report here:

Opposition at the Northern Ireland Assembly: A Prelude to Political Realignment? By vm259 | 07 May 2019 Everyone at CARC would like to, first and foremost, congratulate Stevo Pendarovski, of the Social Democratic Union Party, for winning the first presidential election in the newly named North Mac...

26/04/2019

In the latest profile on the people behind CARC, Professor Hugh Miall discusses his first memory that sparked his interest in engaging in studies on peace and war. Further, he takes us through the history and origins of CARC and how it has evolved through the years.

Read more on our blog: https://bit.ly/2W6FWhd

24/04/2019

In the next series of profiles of the people behind CARC at Kent, Dr. Yaniv Voller shares with us his motivations for studying domestic conflicts and civil wars. His recent work on South Sudan engages with what he terms second-generation liberation movements. Further, he is currently working on a research project on diaspora as a transnational civil society and how to integrate these communities in developmental projects across the globe. Read more on our blog: https://bit.ly/2W5U0Yn

16/04/2019

How can diasporas contribute to lasting peace?

While much has been written on diasporas’ role as peace-wreckers, less has been said about their ‘largely untapped potential as peace-builders.’

Lauren Benson (MA International Relations) discusses how host country governments can seek to recognize, encourage and reward peace-seeking elements within the diaspora, while highlighting challenges and emphasising the need to acknowledge the heterogeneity of these groups.

Read more on the CARC blog:

How can diasporas contribute to lasting peace? A cross-case analysis with examples from the Sri Lankan, Eritrean, Somaliland and Kurdish diasporas By elg37 | 16 April 2019 By: Lauren Benson (MA International Relations) How can diasporas contribute to lasting peace? A cross-case analysis with examp...

25/03/2019

‘There is no engagement with people on the move themselves. Their voice is silenced whilst politicians argue in their echo chambers.

People have attached a lot of fear to the concept of immigration, resulting in a support for securitisation measures. Extreme policing is not a solution-based approach, and it comes at a huge cost to British and French taxpayers.’

In our latest blog post, Maddy Allen shares her experiences working as Field Manager for Help Refugees in Northern France:

Displacement in our Neighbourhood: Police Violence, Forced Evictions and Help Refugees Interview with Maddy Allen By elg37 | 25 March 2019 Increasing levels of police violence, forced evictions and poor living conditions make for a precarious life for displaced people in Northern France. Aid worke...