Conflict Resolution in the 21st Century: A South Asian Perspective

ABSTRACT Conflicts in the contemporary international system have increasingly shifted from state‐centric power struggles to deeply rooted human needs crises. This study applies John Burton's Human Needs Theory to explain the persistence of the Kashmir conflict between India and Pakistan, focusing on the deprivation of identity, recognition, and security among Kashmiri people. A quantitative research design was used to collect perceptions from 250 respondents, including policy experts and conflict‐affected civilians. Descriptive and inferential analyses reveal that unmet human needs strongly shape attitudes toward resistance and militancy, while traditional military‐driven approaches have failed to deliver sustainable peace. The findings highlight a significant gender‐based and generational difference in insecurity perceptions. The study argues that sustainable conflict resolution requires diplomatic engagement, confidence‐building measures, constitutional reforms, and human‐needs‐oriented peace processes. It concludes that addressing the lived insecurities and political invisibility of Kashmiris is essential for transforming the decades‐old conflict into durable peace.