Functional Coexistence in Socio-Political Conflict

This book introduces the concept of functional coexistence as a context for building practical strategies for long-term conflict intervention and social change.

Functional coexistence is a pragmatic relationship of mutual non-recognition sustained in the absence of physical violence. In this volume, a team of internationally recognized scholar-practitioners of peacebuilding presents seven in-depth case studies of functional coexistence, expanding its potential for practical conflict intervention. Bridging theory to evidence and vision to practice, the book offers guideposts for sustained conflict intervention, presents compelling examples of peace potential within the context of functional coexistence, and identifies common pathways for change among them. It also proposes a customized framework for program evaluation and highlights the merit of long-term policymaking and funding. Instead of losing hope based on traditional expectations of conflict resolution and reconciliation, this pioneering study of conflict non-resolution demonstrates the power of tenacious pragmatism, strategically guided by a decades-long historical view of social change.

This book will be of interest to students of conflict resolution, peacebuilding, international relations, foreign policy, and security studies.

The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Tatsushi Arai is Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at Kent State University, USA, with extensive practitioner experience. He is author or editor of four books, including Creativity and Conflict Resolution: Alternative Pathways to Peace (2009).

Margarita Tadevosyan is Research Assistant Professor and the Executive Director of the Center for Peacemaking Practice at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University, USA.