Restarting Diplomacy between India and Pakistan by Working Through Impasses

For decades, diplomats and psychoanalysts have applied psychoanalytic theories to international relations. Their collaborations have led to the creation of <i>Track II diplomacy,</i> defined as unofficial meetings among people with access to policymakers. Track II diplomacy illuminates psychological barriers to negotiations by clarifying negotiators' defense mechanisms and communication styles. Track II diplomacy assumes a desire to negotiate, but differences in expectations among negotiating parties can interrupt negotiations. This Perspective suggests that conceptualizing interruptions through the psychoanalytic <i>impasse</i> can introduce novel ways to resume negotiations. I draw on experiences with India-Pakistan Track II diplomacy.