Abstract
Project Summary: “Conflict management and resolution in the wider Mediterranean: comparing practices between Western and non-Western actors” The project investigates how the field of conflict management and resolution (CMR)—a historically Western-dominated system of addressing violent conflict—has been reshaped in the 21st century by the rise of non-Western actors. Triggered by the declining credibility of Western-led interventions in cases like Afghanistan and Iraq, the project focuses on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where countries such as Russia, China, Iran, Turkey, and the UAE have become increasingly assertive in shaping peace and conflict dynamics. The project explores how these non-Western actors are contesting the liberal norms—such as democracy, human rights, and rule of law—that have traditionally guided international interventions. Rather than framing the evolution of CMR as a linear decline or failure of liberal peacebuilding, the project reconceptualizes it as a dynamic site of normative and practical contestation. It aims to develop a new analytical lens to understand how international norms are contested and translated into practices on the ground, such as humanitarian aid, political reforms, and security sector assistance. The central research questions guiding the project are: How does CMR adapt to increased contestation of its norms and practices? Under what conditions does norm contestation translate into contested practices of conflict management and resolution? The objectives of the project are both theoretical and empirical. It seeks to: Identify patterns of convergence, conflict, coexistence, or negotiation between Western and non-Western actors. Map the mechanisms through which norms are contested. Examine how such contestation manifests in actual practices in conflict-affected areas like Libya, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq. To achieve these goals, the project adopts a mixed-method approach. It combines quantitative content analysis of United Nations Security Council debates with qualitative discourse analysis and case study research. This multi-level methodology will link top-down norm contestation with bottom-up implementation practices. Expected results include a new conceptual model of CMR that accounts for both Western and non-Western influences; empirical insights into the evolving roles of regional and global powers in MENA; and policy-relevant findings to inform more inclusive, context-sensitive approaches to conflict resolution. The project also aims to create a reusable open-access dataset of non-Western actors’ official rhetoric and practices related to peacebuilding. By critically engaging with the shifting landscape of global conflict management, the project contributes to rethinking peace operations beyond Western frameworks. Il progetto prevede la pubblicazione di diversi articoli scientifici per riviste accademiche peer review, una monografia di ricerca, la partecipazione ad una special issue di una rivista accademica peer review.
Dettagli del progetto
Responsabile scientifico: Matteo Dian
Strutture Unibo coinvolte:
Dipartimento di Scienze Politiche e Sociali
Coordinatore:
Istituto Universitario Orientale di NAPOLI(Italy)
Contributo totale Unibo: Euro (EUR) 57.740,00
Durata del progetto in mesi: 24
Data di inizio
28/09/2023
Data di fine:
28/02/2026
