The social foundations for peace: violence, peace and (dis)order in Ukraine

Abstract

While peace is often associated with stability, the process of peace building involves a range of conflicts. Using Ukraine as a powerful case study, we examine how violence, insecurity, resilience, and desire for peace intersect within state borders. The paper’s main purpose is to raise awareness of the local political and social dynamics that will shape the implementation of any peace settlement following Russia’s war against Ukraine – dynamics that adversaries may seek to exploit. We challenge conventional assumptions about peace by focusing on the lived experiences of those directly affected by the war, in particular internally displaced women. We stress the diversity of Ukrainian agency in peacebuilding and seek to elevate voices often excluded from dominant narratives of Russia’s war against Ukraine