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Erkännande som fredsstrategi?

Ahlström, Isabell LU (2025) STVM25 20251
Department of Political Science
Abstract
Violent internal conflicts have characterized Sri Lanka for much of the last century, often driven by issues of identity, ideology, and victimhood. In 1983, a civil war broke out between the Sinhalese-dominated government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), lasting until 2009, when government forces defeated the LTTE militarily. Although the war has ended, the population continues to experience the lasting effects of the conflict. In the absence of a national political solution, international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local NGOs have played a central role in the reconciliation process. The study, therefore, aims to contribute to the field of peace and conflict in deeply divided societies by conducting a case... (More)
Violent internal conflicts have characterized Sri Lanka for much of the last century, often driven by issues of identity, ideology, and victimhood. In 1983, a civil war broke out between the Sinhalese-dominated government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), lasting until 2009, when government forces defeated the LTTE militarily. Although the war has ended, the population continues to experience the lasting effects of the conflict. In the absence of a national political solution, international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local NGOs have played a central role in the reconciliation process. The study, therefore, aims to contribute to the field of peace and conflict in deeply divided societies by conducting a case study of Sri Lanka, examining the principles of recognition employed by two international and two local NGOs to promote more peaceful relations between Tamils and Sinhalese. To answer the research question and analyze the data, this study employs a thematic qualitative content analysis, drawing on Lederach's (1997) peacebuilding pyramid and the theoretical framework of recognition developed by Allan and Keller (2006) and Strömbom (2014). By analyzing the organizations' reconciliation work, the results show that international NGOs promote deep recognition, while local NGOs operate within the framework of thin recognition. International NGOs focus more on mutual storytelling, identity transformation, and addressing historical injustices, whereas local NGOs primarily apply principles of cultural exchange, tolerance, and coexistence. (Less)
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author
Ahlström, Isabell LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
En studie av principer för ytligt och djupt erkännande som tillämpas av internationella respektive lokala icke-statliga fredsorganisationer i Sri Lanka
course
STVM25 20251
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
konflikttransformation, försoning, erkännande, Sri Lanka, civila samhället
language
Swedish
id
9210233
date added to LUP
2025-09-10 16:17:33
date last changed
2025-09-10 16:17:33
@misc{9210233,
  abstract     = {{Violent internal conflicts have characterized Sri Lanka for much of the last century, often driven by issues of identity, ideology, and victimhood. In 1983, a civil war broke out between the Sinhalese-dominated government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), lasting until 2009, when government forces defeated the LTTE militarily. Although the war has ended, the population continues to experience the lasting effects of the conflict. In the absence of a national political solution, international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local NGOs have played a central role in the reconciliation process. The study, therefore, aims to contribute to the field of peace and conflict in deeply divided societies by conducting a case study of Sri Lanka, examining the principles of recognition employed by two international and two local NGOs to promote more peaceful relations between Tamils and Sinhalese. To answer the research question and analyze the data, this study employs a thematic qualitative content analysis, drawing on Lederach's (1997) peacebuilding pyramid and the theoretical framework of recognition developed by Allan and Keller (2006) and Strömbom (2014). By analyzing the organizations' reconciliation work, the results show that international NGOs promote deep recognition, while local NGOs operate within the framework of thin recognition. International NGOs focus more on mutual storytelling, identity transformation, and addressing historical injustices, whereas local NGOs primarily apply principles of cultural exchange, tolerance, and coexistence.}},
  author       = {{Ahlström, Isabell}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Erkännande som fredsstrategi?}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}