German Institute for Global and Area Studies | Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien

Institutions for Peace

To overcome war and violent conflict, building and strengthening institutions for peace is crucial. This includes ones helping to support power-sharing in government, security sector reform, and other key processes. We investigate all these phenomena in our research, while paying equal attention to institutions and processes that may be an impediment to peace too.

Conference | 11/12/2024 - 12/12/2024

MIASA Policy Conference “Dealing with Conflict, Preparing for Sustainable Peace”

The third MIASA Policy Conference “Dealing with conflict, preparing for sustainable peace” will provide space for exchange between researchers, policymakers and other key stakeholders in sustainable peace-making to present and discuss state-of-the-art research and its policy implications. Emphasis will be given to African perspectives on intervention practices and peacebuilding efforts on the continent, drawing on insights from both research and practice.

F.A.Z Machtprobe | Interview | 28/09/2024

Der "coolste Diktator der Welt"

In El Salvador regiert nach eigenem Bekunden der coolste Diktator der Welt - Nayib Bukele. Der Präsident geht mit harter Hand gegen die organisierte Kriminalität im Land vor. Auch wenn die Mordraten gefallen sind, zahlt das Land einen hohen Preis.

Prof. Dr. Sabine Kurtenbach

President (ad interim)

GIGA Insights | 22/09/2024

A Bad Sign for Colombia's Total Peace: Talks with the ELN Suspended Indefinitely

The Colombian government's talks with the ELN were a central pillar of the government's "Total Peace" policy to end violence through dialogue and the rule of law. After a new ELN attack on 20 September 2024, the government suspended the talks indefinitely.

GIGA Focus Middle East | 5/2024

Syria Is Not Safe: A Look to Its Regions

The violent escalation in most of Syria since 2023 and the continuation of the Assad dictatorship suggest that nowhere in the country is safe. Outlined are the key details to this. Any plans to forcibly return Syrian refugees from Middle Eastern and European countries should therefore be rejected.

Dr. André Bank

Senior Research Fellow

Ronja Herrschner

University of Tübingen

rbb 24 inforadio | Interview | 24/07/2024

Nahost-Experte: Chinas Engagement überraschend

China hat vermittelt: Die zerstrittenen palästinensischen Gruppierungen Fatah und Hamas sollen sich versöhnt haben und wollen eine gemeinsame Regierung bilden, sobald der Krieg in Gaza vorbei ist. Das habe Israel bisher immer verhindern wollen, sagt GIGA-Experte Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz.

Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz

Director of the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies / Editor GIGA Focus Middle East

DER SPIEGEL | Interview | 25/07/2024

Eskalation im Jemen: »Die Huthis haben Blut geleckt«

Eine tödliche Drohnenattacke in Tel Aviv, Bomben auf Ziele im Jemen als Vergeltung: Nahostexperte Dr. Jens Heibach erklärt was die Huthi-Milizen wollen, welche Rolle Iran spielt und wie sich die Situation entwickeln könnte.

Dr. Jens Heibach

Research Fellow

GIGA Focus Middle East | 4/2024

Couscous, Kaftans, and Culture Wars: Algeria and Morocco at UNESCO

Within UNESCO, Algeria and Morocco have been battling over the origin of different cultural objects. Cultural heritage, envisaged as a tool for cooperation and conflict resolution in the MENA region, has increased tension between the two neighbours and threatens to embroil other countries as well.

Dr. Idriss Jebari

Associate

GIGA Focus Asia | 5/2024

Development, Peacebuilding, and Women’s Agency in Northeast India

Peace and development in Northeast India are crucial for India’s grand vision for political, social, and economic ties with the Asian region. Durable peace can be achieved by including local actors in formal peace processes, especially women, who have been active agents for peace at the grassroots.

Dr. Amrita Saikia

Associate

Contact

Current Research

Countries and Regions

Prof. Dr. Matthias Basedau

Director of the GIGA Institute for African Affairs / Editor GIGA Focus Africa

T. +49 40 42825-517 [email protected]

Resources conflicts
Religion and violent conflict
Civil–military relations
Political institutions

Sub-Saharan Africa
Mali
Niger
Chad
Botswana

Prof. Dr. Sabine Kurtenbach

President (ad interim)

T. +49 40 42825-570 [email protected]

Postwar Societies
Violence and Social change
Youth

Central America
Colombia

Dr. André Bank

Senior Research Fellow

T. +49 40 42825-584 [email protected]

Regional Explanations for Authoritarianism
Statethood and Political Domination in the Middle East (with a focus on Jordan and Syria)
The War in Syria
Regional Politics and the Relationship between Arabism and Islamism

Jordan
Syria
Palestine/Israel
Turkey (Near East Politics)

Research Project | 01/01/2021 - 31/12/2024

PEACEptions

Providing a conceptual framework in which different ideas of peace can be highlighted and their differences analysed in order to be able to formulate concrete proposals for peacebuilding is at the heart of this project. The concept is based on three elements whose meaning crosses historical and cultural boundaries: physical integrity, individual and collective human rights, and constructive conflict transformation.
FES, 2021-2023

Prof. Dr. Sabine Kurtenbach

Kristina Birke Daniels

Katharina Wegner

Nina Netzer

Dr. Anna Reuß

GIGA Focus Middle East | 5/2024

Syria Is Not Safe: A Look to Its Regions

Dr. André Bank

Senior Research Fellow

Ronja Herrschner

University of Tübingen

GIGA Focus Middle East | 4/2024

Couscous, Kaftans, and Culture Wars: Algeria and Morocco at UNESCO

Dr. Idriss Jebari

Associate

Middle East Journal | 07/2024

Special Issue Introduction: Iraq since 2003

Today, the United States’ invasion of Iraq in 2003 is widely regarded as a strategic failure that caused tremendous humanitarian suffering, especially in its aftermath. Two decades later there is a shift in memory culture toward the inclusion of more Iraqi voices and alternative approaches.

Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz

Director of the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies / Editor GIGA Focus Middle East

Dr. Achim Rohde

Academy in Exile

Middle East Journal | 07/2024

The Iraq War as a War over the Meaning of Europe

The Iraq War of 2003 has been described as a conflict over the meaning of Europe between a transatlantic and a more independent, “Carolingian” vision of the continent. As such, it highlighted the continued importance of a US-led NATO for defining such meaning.

Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz

Dr. Manon-Nour Tannous

Dr. Achim Rohde

GIGA Focus Asia | 5/2024

Development, Peacebuilding, and Women’s Agency in Northeast India

Dr. Amrita Saikia

Associate

Online Cooperation Event | 06/09/2021

After Afghanistan: What Is the Way Forward for German Participation in Peace Missions and State-Building?

In the face of the failed Bundeswehr engagement in Afghanistan, peace missions are in need of re-evaluation. Experts from the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg and from the GIGA discussed the future of German deployments abroad.

GIGA Global Transitions Conference | 07/12/2017 - 08/12/2017

Envisioning Peace | Transforming Conflict

Scholars and practitioners will address questions such as: What is our understanding of peace and conflict transformation? What are the advantages and disadvantages of narrow and broad concepts? Is peace a utopia, a continuum, or an incremental process? Is there an overlap between peace and other concepts such as harmony, justice, equality, development?

India Week 2023 | 21/11/2023

India’s G20 Presidency: Reviving Multilateralism through Responsible Leadership

The expert panel will analyse the contributions that India’s G20 Presidency has made to the revival and reform of multilateralism and explore how these ideas can be developed further under the Indo-German partnership. This event is part of the G20-T20 outreach process, Task Force 3 LiFE, and the GIGA’s T4T project.

Panel Discussion | 04/10/2023

Strategische Partner Deutschland und Mongolei? Anspruch, Realität und Initiativen

Im Jahr 2024 feiern die Bundesrepublik Deutschland und die Mongolei das 50-jährige Jubiläum der Aufnahme diplomatischer Beziehungen. Wir nehmen dies zum Anlass, hochrangige offizielle Vertreter:innen sowie ausgewiesene Expert:innen nach Stand und Perspektiven dieser Partnerschaft zu fragen.

Video GIGA Forum Feminist Foreign Policy

GIGA Forum | 13/09/2023

Can Germany’s Feminist Foreign Policy Work in Afghanistan, Iran, and Ukraine?

This GIGA Forum investigates the newly launched German “Feminist Foreign Policy” guidelines and their implications for Germany’s foreign policy-making, with particular reference to developments in Afghanistan, Iran, and Ukraine. Video now online.

Conference | 06/07/2023 - 07/07/2023

Radical Lefts of the South: Cross-Regional Dialogues and Research Trends in the MENA and Latin America

Focused on Latin American and MENA radical leftist movements post World War II, this conference encourages a cross-regional, interdisciplinary perspective. It explores shared worldviews, unique trajectories, and their interplay with their respective contexts, while addressing the methodological challenges in studying these movements.

GIGA Event | 01/06/2023

Criminal Governance and Questioned Legitimacy: Territorial Orders and Armed Actors in Caracas?

Verónica Zubillaga, PhD, will give a lecture based on the analysis of ethnographic data. She will discuss the concepts of collaborative governance and criminal governance to understand how social control functions locally in an authoritarian context where a political, economic, and humanitarian crisis has restricted the resources and scope of government.

Online Cooperation Event | 06/09/2021

After Afghanistan: What Is the Way Forward for German Participation in Peace Missions and State-Building?

GIGA Global Transitions Conference | 07/12/2017 - 08/12/2017

Envisioning Peace | Transforming Conflict

India Week 2023 | 21/11/2023

India’s G20 Presidency: Reviving Multilateralism through Responsible Leadership

Panel Discussion | 04/10/2023

Strategische Partner Deutschland und Mongolei? Anspruch, Realität und Initiativen

GIGA Forum | 13/09/2023

Can Germany’s Feminist Foreign Policy Work in Afghanistan, Iran, and Ukraine?

Conference | 06/07/2023 - 07/07/2023

Radical Lefts of the South: Cross-Regional Dialogues and Research Trends in the MENA and Latin America

GIGA Event | 01/06/2023

Criminal Governance and Questioned Legitimacy: Territorial Orders and Armed Actors in Caracas?

Online Cooperation Event | 06/09/2021

After Afghanistan: What Is the Way Forward for German Participation in Peace Missions and State-Building?

GIGA Global Transitions Conference | 07/12/2017 - 08/12/2017

Envisioning Peace | Transforming Conflict

Der Tagesspiegel | Quote | 11/12/2024

Mehr als 300 Ziele attackiert: Das steckt hinter Israels massivem Vorgehen in Syrien

Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz

Director of the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies / Editor GIGA Focus Middle East

Reuters | Interview | 10/12/2024

How did Syria's rebels manage to topple Assad?

While the speed of the toppling of Assad in only ten days was surprising, the structural weakness of the regime and the increasing strength of the rebel forces were not, says Dr. André Bank from the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies.

Dr. André Bank

Senior Research Fellow

SWR Aktuell | Interview | 09/12/2024

"Möglich, dass HTS-Miliz in Syrien eine Regierung durchsetzt"

Nach dem Sturz von Diktator Assad dürfte in Syrien die HTS-Miliz im Verbund mit anderen Rebellengruppen die Macht übernehmen. Was die HTS ausmacht und wie ein politischer Übergang in Syrien organisiert werden könnte, erläutert Dr. André Bank.

Dr. André Bank

Senior Research Fellow

Gesellschaft für Sicherheitspolitik e.V., Sektion Wilhelmshaven / Friesland | 13/11/2024

Der Israel-Palästina Konflikt: Geschichtliche Entwicklung, Interessenlagen und mögliche Lösungen

Organiser: Gesellschaft für Sicherheitspolitik e.V., Sektion Wilhelmshaven / Friesland, Gesellschaft für Sicherheitspolitik e.V. Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz (Consultant)

Vortrag

Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz

Director of the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies / Editor GIGA Focus Middle East

University of Duisburg-Essen | 04/06/2024

Von der Gewalteskalation zur Friedensregelung? Nachkriegsperspektiven im Israel-Gaza-Krieg

Organiser: University of Duisburg-Essen Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz (Speaker)

Online Podiumsdiskussion

Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz

Director of the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies / Editor GIGA Focus Middle East

Conference | 27/05/2024 - 29/05/2024

Die Sahelzone. Konfliktherde und ihre regionalen Auswirkungen

Die MENA-Region im Fokus. Aktuelle Entwicklungen, regionale Zusammenhänge und Perspektiven, Akademie für Politische Bildung, Tutzing Organisers: Akademie für Politische Bildung Hager Ali (Consultant)

Im Nahen und Mittleren Osten finden derzeit bedeutende politische Verschiebungen statt, die von einem wachsenden Selbstbewusstsein einzelner staatlicher Akteure geprägt sind. China und Indien verstärken ihre Präsenz in der Region, was die geopolitische Landschaft weiter verändert. Auch die destabilisierenden Konflikte in der Sahelzone wirken sich zunehmend auf den Nahen und Mittleren Osten aus und stellen eine weitere Herausforderung dar. GIGA Wissenschaftlerin Hager Ali spricht über den Krieg im Sudan, und zeichnet nach, wie sich innenpolitische Konflikte in regionale Krisenherde ausweiten können.
Ein Event in Kooperation mit der Jungen Gesellschaft für Sicherheitspolitik (GSP) und Middle East Minds.