Deprivation and hopelessness have long been known to be the seeds of violent conflict, but often they are left to humanitarian and development agencies to address. Until recently, many of these agencies have worked "around conflict," rather than working "on conflict," or have seen conflict as an unfortunate impediment to their efforts, not a key part of the pattern they are trying to fix. This is slowly changing, as development agencies have been increasingly engaging in conflict management efforts, but many tensions between these approaches still exist.

We now understand that there is a clear and close relationship between development and conflict. Poor nations tend to be very conflicted, but development that isn't responsive to the actual needs and conditions in the country and the country's culture can just cause more conflict and inhibit successful development. The following essays, contributed by Brazilian expert on conflict and development, Olympio Barbanti, illustrate the multi-faceted relationship between development and conflict.

• Development and Conflict   The link between developing countries and conflict has frequently been overlooked. This series of essays explores their relationship in depth.
• Rich-Poor Conflicts - The gap between high and low income countries is widening, risking even more conflict caused by this disparity in the future.
• Development and Conflict   This section of the website explores the link between development and conflict, a link which is frequently overlooked by development workers and conflict practitioners.
• Development and Conflict Theory   Societies are always changing. Some improve, while others fail. Development theory aims at explaining both processes. This essay explores how development theory can be used to deepen our understanding of intractable conflict.
• Development Interventions and Conflict   This essay explains the three levels of development interventions: structural, governmental and grassroots. These parallel the three levels of conflict intervention as well. The intersection of the two: development and conflict interventions are explored here.
• Development and Conflict In Practice: People Interviewed   This essay gives brief biographies for the eight people interviewed for this series on development and conflict.
• Development, Poverty and Conflict   Alleviating poverty is the first step to aiding developing nations. This essay explains how conflict theory can contribute to this goal.
• Development, Education and Conflict   A recent poll found that 67% of Brazilians were functionally illiterate — they could read, but could not comprehend the full meaning of what they read. This essay explores the connections between conflict and lack of education.
• Development, Gender and Conflict   Gender inequality is often a "hidden problem" in developing countries. It both hinders development and can exacerbate intractable conflict.
• Development, Health and Conflict   HIV/AIDS, malaria, child mortality and poor maternal health are major health problems facing the developing world. Until these problems are dealt with, they will hinder development and breed intractable conflict.
• Development, the Environment and Conflict   Ensuring environmental sustainability is one of the Millennium Development Goals.
• Global Partnerships and Development   This essay argues that if one country is very poor, it negatively affects not only its own population but also the international community.

Book Summaries

• The Moral Imagination: The Art and Soul of Building Peace
  John Paul Lederach
  This book describes how some people, even when faced with the most difficult and seemingly hopeless situations, are able to see beyond the current problems to develop the "moral imagination" to envision — and then implement — a way out.
• Postconflict Development: Meeting New Challenges
  Gerd Junne and Willemijn Verkoren, eds.
  After a conflict ends, a crucial factor in minimizing a return to war is the extent to which economic and social development has succeeded and whether there is a fair distribution of resources. Challenges to successful development are discussed, and potential solutions to these challenges suggested.
• War Prevention Works: 50 Stories of People Resolving Conflict
  Dylan Matthews
  This book is a collection of 50 case studies, illustrating the ways in which ordinary people do extraordinary things in the face of intractable conflict.
• Spoiler Problems in Peace Processes
  Stephen John Stedman
  Spoilers are individuals and groups who, often, are disempowered or fear they will become disempowered if peace breaks out. They therefore use violence to undermine the peace. This article attempts to improve our understanding of spoilers and to aid "custodians of peace" in managing them.

Other Resources of Interest:

• United Nations Economic and Social Council: Commission on Sustainable Development acting as the preparatory committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Organizational Session. Combating Poverty. 30 April - 2 May 2001.
  Consortium Abstract
• Mario Mikulincer and Phillip R. Shaver, "Attachment Security, Compassion, and Altruism," in Current Directions in Psychological Science, (14:1, 2005), pp. 34-38.
  Author's Description
• K. B. Ghimire. Civil Society and Social Movements Programme Paper 19: The Contemporary Global Social Movements: Emergent Proposals, Connectivity and Development Implications (posted on 10 Nov 2005).
  Web link to full document.
  Author's Description
• Schulz, Markus. 1998. Collective Action Across Borders: Opportunity Structures, Network Capacities, and Communicative Praxis in the Age of Advanced Globalization. Sociological Perspectives; 1998, Vol. 41 Issue 3, p587-616.
  Author's Description
• Humm, Andy. "The Activists Who Shaped a Century." Social Policy, Vol. 30 Issue 2 (Winter 1999): p2.
  Publisher's Description
• Lalloo, Kiran. "Arenas of Contested Citizenship: Housing Policy in South Africa." Habitat International, vol. 23 issue 1 (March 1998): 35-47.
  Author's Description
• World Bank: Breaking the Conflict Trap
• World Bank: Conflict and Development
• World Bank: Social Development Papers
• World Bank: Publications
• Development poverty conflict
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• Post conflict development
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• Inequality development
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