Peace as Emergence: The Case of Mozambique

We are currently in the process of conducting an interdisciplinary case study of the civil war and peace process in Mozambique, a hopeful example of an intractable conflict that was ultimately transformed and resulted in stable, peaceful relations. Despite the fact that the peace process in Mozambique has been labeled as an exemplary success story, applying the lessons learned to existing protracted conflicts has not been a trivial matter. The primary reason is that a consensus about the critical factors responsible for the success of the peace process has yet to be achieved. While the role of economic factors has been strongly supported, a comprehensive analysis of the interplay of these factors with social, political and psychological mechanisms has yet to be accomplished.