PROGRAMME

A Theory of  Conflict

The present  programme  represents  a  new initiative by the Centre FORUM to develop a conceptual framework for a larger research programme. 
The programme seeks to establish a base of qualified personnel in the field of conflict and peace studies in Russia. 

The first objective entails that the programme will have a considerable component of basic research. The programme should identify gaps in conflict specific knowledge and aim at contributing substantially filling lacunae. A main task is therefore to develop a coherent conceptual framework to promote early warning and conflict prevention and peaceful conflict transformation. 

Global Development Observatory System (DEOS)

The programme aims, through studies and practical forms of support, at obtaining analysis on stability and destabilisation through the provision of reports emanating from the collaboration of diverse actors. 
An objective of the programme is to identify, assess and prevent destabilisation, potential crises and conflicts. 
The research challenge of this programme is to:

• unify all initial data; 
• obtain an overall picture of social development; 
• visually depict the "sore spots" in their political, economic, social and cultural dimensions; 
• ensure rational planning and the adoption of well-grounded decisions at any administrative level, from the local to subregional, regional and global; 
• avoid errors and possible negative consequences resulting from action to resolve a "conflict situation". 

Eurasian Co-operation and Common Security

The research challenge and objectives of this programme is to determine
the strategy to achieve security including reactive and proactive components, such as conflict prevention, early warning, and handling of escalating threats. 
An objective of the programme is to review what has been done in this field. A state-of-the-art paper will make it possible to identify important lacunae, and suggest future policy directions.

Conflict Prevention and Conflict Resolution

The systematic accumulation and analysis of detailed knowledge about stability process and the interconnections between its elements are necessary to improve the quality of cooperation relating to practical and operational aspects of conflict prevention strategies. 
It will be important in this connection to build on the experience and lessons of preventive diplomacy where and how the proactive strategy to function satisfactory. There is a growing interest in building up a comparative knowledge of preventive diplomacy and conflict prevention systems in the OSCE area. A secondary objective of the programme would be to utilise the experience and expertise within the countries concerned and promote the mobilisation of such professional insight into peaceful conflict transformation for the benefit of countries in Central Europe and the newly independent states.

Ongoing Projects

The South Caucasus - North Caucasus - as Emergency Zone of European Instability 
This study aims to analyze the process of transformation in the South Caucasus and the most important determinants of violent or nonviolent resolutions of emerging post-Cold War political disputes.

Central Asia - Development Dynamics
The main objective of this project is to analyze problems of transition and democratization in the ex-Soviet states of Central Asia.

Projects planned or under consideration

Human Security and Democratic Development
The Programme undertakes systematic empirical studies of the 
preconditions for human rights observance, and of the role of human rights notions in democratic development processes within countries and across cultures and political systems, primarily but not exclusively in the FSU. The research activities seek to investigate, in concrete historical contexts, the relationships between types of post-communist regimes and respect for human rights, and the record of human rights observance associated with different development strategies. The degree to which human rights are respected is seen as flowing from variations in historical, political, cultural and economic conditions which may in turn be contingent upon the
location of each respective country. The purpose of this research is to test 
hypothesis whether correlations may be found between patterns of human 
rights violations and intra-state conflict emergence.