The Fog of Peace: The Human Face of Conflict Resolution

Rifkind, Gabrielle; Picco, Giandomenico

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 1780768974 ISBN 13: 9781780768977

Casa editrice: Tauris Academic Studies, 2014

Institutions do not decide whom to destroy or to kill, whether to make peace or war; those decisions are the responsibility of individuals. This book argues that the most important aspect of conflict resolution is for antagonists to understand their opponents as individuals, their ambitions, their pains, the resentments that condition their thinking and the traumas they do not fully themselves grasp. Gabrielle Rifkind and Giandomenico Picco here present two very different experiences of international relations – Rifkind as a psychotherapist now immersed in the politics of the Middle East, and Picco as a career diplomat with a long and successful record as a negotiator at the UN.

Developing links between psychology and politics, the authors explore what lies behind the aggressive façade of negotiations and how, underneath the mask, there is a human being. Should we talk to the enemy? What happens if the protagonists are nasty and brutish, tempting policy-makers to retaliate? How do nations find the capacity not to hit back, trapping themselves in endless cycles of violence? Presenting a unique combination of psychological theories, geopolitical realities and first-hand peace-making experience, this book sheds new light on some of the worst conflicts in the modern world and demonstrates, above all, how empathy can often be far more persuasive than the most fearsome weapons. By exploring the question of intervention versus non-intervention, and examining how the changing nature of warfare and technology has both armed the warmonger, whilst empowering the individual through social media, this is a highly topical, comprehensive overview on international diplomacy and the complexities of peace-making.

Recensione:

'Picco and Rifkind tackle the big questions in this timely read on peace-building
and conflict. Picco's personal accounts of his career as a UN diplomat set this
title apart from some others on this topic, particularly his stories of securing
the 1988 ceasefire agreement between Iran and Iraq.'
Carla Kweifio-Okai, Guardian

'a wonderful treatise on how successful negotiation works.'
John Harding, Daily Mail

'stimulating and original... should be prescribed reading for any new leader of a military power.'
Donald MacIntyre, Independent

'An urgent toolkit of ideas that can help all sides move beyond conflict.'
Paul Rogers, Open Democracy

'A thrilling and stimulating reading for all interested in the resolution of
conflicts of international relevance.'
Hans Blix

'From the fog of war and the tangle of international diplomacy to the fog of the
human mind and the tangle of the soul - two contrasting approaches to conflict
resolution come together intriguingly. This is their remarkable account.'
Jon Snow

'Fascinating, revelatory and insightful, The Fog of Peace is a remarkable book.'
--Baroness Helena Kennedy

L'autore:

Gabrielle Rifkind is the Director of the Middle East programme at Oxford Research Group. She is a group analyst and specialist in conflict resolution immersed in the politics of the Middle East. Rifkind combines in-depth political and psychological expertise with many years' experience in promoting serious analysis and discreet dialogues with groups behind the scenes.

Giandomenico Picco worked for the UN for over 20 years and served as a UN negotiator on conflicts, focusing on Iran Iraq and Afghanistan. He was personally involved in securing the freedom of a number of individuals, illegally detained in 4 different countries. As a UN Undersecretary he led the initiative referred to as the Dialogue Among Civilizations.