Contested transitions and perspectives on peace : Deutungskämpfe im Übergang

In times of transition, actors clash regarding the interpretations of the past, solutions to current problems, and visions for the future. This Forum examines these discursive contestations and their implications for political change (Deutungskämpfe im Übergang). Taking a historically-oriented peace and conflict studies perspective, it investigates how actors advocate for, negotiate, and seek to delegitimize views to drive—or resist—political change. This aims to better understand how transitions unfold and may lead to pathways of escalation or conflict transformation. Studying these processes from an interdisciplinary perspective in both historical and contemporary cases, and regarding conceptual and theoretical dimensions, the Forum advances research on contentious political changes and peace—a key issue in today’s multiple crises.