Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation Terminology

The Anthropocene defines Earth's most recent geologic time period as being human-influenced, or anthropogenic, based on overwhelming global evidence that atmospheric, geologic, hydrologic, biospheric and other earth system processes are now altered by humans.

The word combines the root "anthropo", meaning "human" with the root "-cene", the standard suffix for "epoch" in geologic time.

The Anthropocene is distinguished as a new period either after or within the Holocene, the current epoch, which began approximately 10,000 years ago (about 8000 BC) with the end of the last glacial period.

https://www.anthropocene.info

A mechanism for resolving conflicts whereby the disputants identify their grievances and demands, fix a procedural process, and willingly submit the decision of outcomes, to an external entity. The third or external party usually takes the form of a tribunal.

Can be binding or non-binding.

An armed conflict is a contested incompatibility, which concerns government and/or territory where the use of armed force between two parties, of which at least one is the government of a state, results in at least 25 battle-related deaths.

Concessions, incentives, and threats issued by parties engaged in a process of negotiation.

Is not a straightforward exercise of mutual exchanges, such exchanges may occur over a single concern or multiple issues, but the parties often tend to offer initially what they view as less valuable in order to obtain what they consider to be more valuable, an approach known as Homans’ Theorem.

A campaign of withdrawal of support from a company, government, or institution which is committing an injustice, such as racial discrimination. As Dr. King said, “There is nothing quite as effective as the refusal to cooperate with the forces and institutions which perpetuate evil in our communities.”

A conditional surrender or yielding of rights by a party engaged in a conflict. Capitulation is usually in the form of an official document.

A bilateral (between two parties) or multilateral (between several parties) halt in all or select offensive military actions among parties engaged in official war, guerrilla warfare, or violent exchanges with one another.

Minimally aim to reduce immediate tensions and extreme losses while providing opportunities for the initiation of other forms of conflict resolution or management efforts.

The act of openly disobeying an unjust, immoral, or unconstitutional law as a matter of conscience, and accepting the consequences, including submitting to imprisonment if necessary, to protest an injustice.

The intentional breaking of immoral laws represented a form of remaining true to one’s beliefs.

A sphere of society distinct and independent from the state system. This collective realm, or ‘public space’, includes networks of institutions through which citizens voluntarily represent themselves through cultural, ideological, and political means.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are often considered the backbone of civil society, yet informal social institutions, professional associations, and interest groups constitute further examples. The strength of civil society is generally considered critical in providing protection and institutional hedges for individuals and groups against potential authoritarianism or intrusive government.