Facing organised violence: research agendas and conversion potentials; conference documentation

Abstract

On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC) hosted a two-day international academic conference on “Facing Organised Violence: Research Agendas and Conversion Potentials” from 27 to 28 October 2014 in Bonn. The aim of the conference was to approach current dynamics of organised violence from a critical angle. Speakers and panellists focussed on concepts, means, and practices of organised violence. "Concepts" were reflected as discourses that legitimise the use of violence, such as security policies or military strategies. The panels about "means" referred to the tools and material infrastructure of organised violence, such as the arms industry and conventional weapons (in particular small arms and light weapons - SALW). Visible patterns of behaviour such as rules, norms, and types of actors were investigated in the "practices" section. Building on these three dimensions, the conference discussed "natural resources" and "migration" as two intersecting themes touching organised violence in societal contexts.