Pacifist approaches to conflict resolution: an overview of pragmatic pacifism

Abstract

This article explores pragmatic pacifist approaches to conflict resolution, i.e. the aspects that justify pacifist norms based on its strategic effectiveness and not on actors’ belief systems. The article initially proposes a conceptualisation of pacifism and non-violence, seeking to show how these concepts interrelate and how they integrate in the field of conflict resolution. From this conceptual basis, the article focuses on the examination of pragmatic pacifist approaches, highlighting their theoretical base, their techniques and methods of action, as well as the major future challenges of research agendas on the theme.