AK Theory
The Working Group “Theory” of the AFK – founded in 1995 and thus one of the oldest currently active working groups within the AFK – deals with various theoretical questions in the context of peace and conflict studies. It is dedicated to the discussion of theories in peace and conflict research in all their facets, including exegesis, theory comparison, theory-oriented empirical research, as well as meta- and philosophy-of-science analysis and reflection. Fundamentally, the work of the WG is based on a broad and pluralistic understanding of theory that includes analytically explanatory approaches as well as explicitly normative theory (e.g., questions of peace ethics) and both “positivist” and “critical” perspectives.
A central goal of the Theory WG is to promote explicit engagement with the role of theory/theories in peace and conflict research and the influence these have directly or indirectly on our knowledge. We proceed from the assumption that, as in all social scientific research, peace and conflict studies require differentiated theoretical reflection; otherwise, relevant questions remain overlooked and everyday assumptions uncritically enter research in a fundamental way. Since such preformed results regularly also find their way into practice – mediated through policy papers, degree programs, conflict analyses, or policy evaluations – theoretical reflection or reflexivity is indispensable from both a normative and (research) ethical perspective.
In addition to the annual AFK colloquia, theory-focused conferences and workshops are organized. The Theory WG is also open to participation from theory-interested peace and conflict researchers who are not AFK members themselves.
Contact
Spokespersons of the Theory Working Group are:
Amelie Harbisch
(University Erfurt)
Lena Merkle
(University Madgeburg)
The spokespersons can also be reached at theorie@afk-web.de.
Mailing list
Interested persons can subscribe to the Theory Working Group’s email distribution list:
https://lists.lists.afk-web.de/mailman/listinfo/liste-theorie
News / Announcements
Currently, there are no announcements.
Content (Literature / Conference Papers)
Workshop of the Theory Working Group in Kiel on December 12–13, 2024
On December 12–13, 2024, an open-topic workshop of the Theory Working Group took place in Kiel. The workshop was deliberately designed with an open thematic approach to enable participants to present and discuss ongoing work regardless of specific content restrictions (beyond the common theoretical reference). Accordingly, the contributions covered a wide range of topics, from theoretical discussions of individual concepts such as social peace (Christoph Weller), instability (Nadine Klopf), and the concept of crisis (Dirk Nabers) to more empirically oriented, theory-based works on knowledge ownership in peace education (Lena Merkle), masculinity and violence in Kosovo (Niklas Balbon), the legitimation of right-wing extremist violence (Lotta Mayer), and the role of discourse and affect in the MAGA discourse (Frank A. Stengel).
You can find the program here.
The workshop was funded by the Department of International Political Sociology at the University of Kiel.
Archive
Workshop of the Theory Working Group in Düsseldorf on February 1 and 2, 2019
On February 1 and 2, 2019, a workshop of the Theory Working Group took place at the University of Düsseldorf on the topic “Debating Postcolonialism – A Critical Engagement with Postcolonial Perspectives in Peace and Conflict Studies.” A report on the workshop was published in Wissenschaft und Frieden.
Annual Conference of the Theory Working Group in Augsburg!
“Everything Has Its Time – Even Peace?”
The AK Theory invites you to the conference “Everything Has Its Time – Even Peace?” from November 8 to 10, 2012, in Augsburg. The conference explores the theoretical relationship between “peace” and “time” and examines the implications and (also societal) consequences of this relationship. The practical relevance of this central question is illustrated by the example of Afghanistan: The 2014 announced withdrawal date of international troops reflects a different concept of peace than the one promoted at the beginning of the ISAF mission; moreover, it influences the horizon of action of both the interveners and those being intervened upon.
Despite the great relevance of the relationship between “peace” and “time,” an explicit clarification of the multifaceted connection between these already complex concepts remains largely uncharted theoretical territory. This conference aims to help close this gap. It will address, in three thematic dimensions, first the fundamental reciprocal relationship between time and peace, and subsequently the special roles of past and future.
You can find the program here.
The annual conference of the AK Theory is generously funded by the German Foundation for Peace Research (DSF).
Fourth Workshop of the AFK Theory Working Group from July 15 to 17, 2010 in Augsburg
What is peace and conflict research, or: What is its identity? How can the concept of peace be defined or substantively filled? What are the epistemological foundations of peace studies research?
Questions like these were at the center of the fourth AK Theory Workshop, which took place in Augsburg from July 15 to 17, 2010, under the title “Theoretical Approaches in Peace and Conflict Research.”
A summary of the workshop can be found in the conference report “„Über die Notwendigkeit Normativität zu reflektieren“.
Here you can find the papers discussed at the workshop.
Workshop series on theoretical questions in peace and conflict studies
Here’s an English translation of your text:
With a broad Call for Papers, the AK Theory of the AFK invited contributions for a new series of peace theory workshops in the summer newsletter of 2006 and via various mailing lists. The more than 30 responses showed a wide interest in intensive discussions of theoretical questions, especially among young peace and conflict researchers.
Based on the submitted abstracts, a funding application for the planned workshop series was submitted in autumn 2006. The Berghof Stiftung für Konfliktforschung generously provided the financial resources for the workshop series. The first workshop took place in summer 2007 in Loccum, the second workshop in April 2008 in Marburg, the third workshop again in July 2008 in Loccum, and the fourth workshop took place in July 2010 in Augsburg.
Method of the peace-theoretical workshops of the Theory Working Group
To enable an intensive discussion of theoretical and conceptual questions and to emphasize the workshop character of the working group conferences, a very specific conference format (“Yale seminar model”) with a strictly limited number of participants (max. 36) is chosen. This format has already proven to be highly effective in the first series of theory workshops of the AK Theorie from 2000 to 2003.
At the planned workshops, papers are not presented in the usual way by the authors and then discussed. Instead, the papers to be discussed must be written well in advance of the workshops and read by all participants in preparation. During the workshop itself, the papers are not presented by their authors but by another participant who summarizes the main points and key arguments. (These designated presenters will also moderate the subsequent discussions.)
Following the detailed presentation—which should be a structured summary of what has been read—there is a critical commentary by another workshop participant. Only then do further comments follow, and the author of the paper gets the opportunity to respond to the presentations and comments, and to answer any questions addressed to them.
This procedure ensures that participants prepare intensively for the workshops and have read extensively, so that the discussion does not focus narrowly on isolated aspects or just on dialogues with the authors, but initially addresses as many perspectives as possible and then works through them in a structured discussion. This conference format will be limited to five to six (3-hour) panels, each with one or at most two papers.
Information, summaries, and papers from the individual workshops are accessible via the respective links below
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