How It Helped: The Role of Track Two in Protracted, Asymmetric, and Ethnonational Conflicts

Abstract Track Two Diplomacy (Track Two) frequently has contributed to the resolution of protracted, asymmetric, and ethnonational (PAE) conflicts, but exactly how is not fully known. In this article we explore what role, if any, unofficial and informal dialogues across different “tracks” played in different conflicts. We focus on the role of the third party, how the results of Track Two dialogues were “transferred” to their intended audiences, and how the inclusion of civil society actors and broader public opinion affected negotiations and dialogue. To accomplish this, we develop an original typology of roles that Track Two can play—which provides a framework—and present a conceptual tool based on this typology to illustrate multidirectional transfer from Track Two to different recipients.