Conflict management in enduring rivalries

Abstract

Conflict management and security regimes have generated much interest in international relations, ong‐term conflict management, in particular, requires a framework that privileges a longitudinal perspective; enduring rivalries provide a coherent reference point from which to examine these issues. Before one can explain successful or unsuccessful conflict management one must have a clear conception of what is meant by the term. There exists no clear definition of what successful conflict management actually consists of. We develop three different interpretations of what this can mean in the enduring rivalry context. ‘Success’ can mean (1) reduce the average level of conflict in the rivalry, (2) reduce the occurrence of more severe militarized conflicts, or (3) reduce the ‘volatility’ or variation of conflict levels. In short, the article takes the first step in explaining successful and unsuccessful medium‐ and long‐term conflict management by providing three conflict management dependent variables from which further analysis can proceed.