The objective of PEACE-COM is to analyse the causes and evolution of community conflicts in the old and new Member States of the European Union, as well as in future Accession Countries. Accordingly, tools and options for conflict resolution will be evaluated and developed. To arrive at results, the history of community conflicts in Europe will be reviewed as a first step, and the effects of European integration on existing conflicts comprehensively examined. This will allow for the setting up of a typology of community conflicts in Europe. Subsequently, a systematic comparative case analysis will be carried out, which will entail the identification of the main actors of each conflict, as well as the institutions that are central to their development. The data obtained from questionnaires sent to 150 ‘target’ actors per conflict will be analysed and in-depth interviews conducted to fully understand the contending views and actions undertaken by the different groups in conflict. Based on the analyses of the questionnaires, interviews and previous research, general types of action will be distinguished and linked to the characteristics of each conflict being studied. Furthermore, policies and initiatives implemented to deal with the conflicts will be evaluated to determine the conditions of their success and failure. Flaws in accommodation policies will be identified and additional measures for effectively managing the conflicts discussed. In addition, measurable indicators for monitoring community conflicts will be elaborated through the transformation of the data gathered throughout the project, and their transferability to other conflicts tested. The conflicts to be studied include the Russian minority in Estonia, the Cyprus conflict, the cases of Kosovo, Sandzak and Vojvodina in former Yugoslavia, the Slovene autochtonous minority in Austria (Carinthia), the case of South Tyrol in Northern Italy, the Basque conflict, the Walloon-Flemish conflict in Belgium, the case of Northern Ireland, the case of the Roma in Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia, and the case of Corsica. |
ICCR; Vienna, Austria
