Peace in Digital International Relations

Introduction

The international architecture of peacebuilding and statebuilding is currently responding to a shift from analogue to digital approaches in international relations. This is affecting conflict management, intervention, peacebuilding, and the all-important role of civil society.

Analysis of Digital Peacebuilding

This Element analyses the potential that these new digital forms of international relations offer for the reform of peace praxis – namely, the enhancement of critical agency across networks and scales, the expansion of claims for rights and the mitigation of obstacles posed by sovereignty, locality, and territoriality.

Limitations and Challenges

The Element also addresses the parallel limitations of digital technologies in terms of political emancipation related to subaltern claims, the risk of co-optation by historical and analogue power structures, institutions, and actors.

Conclusion

We conclude that though aspects of emerging digital approaches to making peace are promising, they cannot yet bypass or resolve older, analogue conflict dynamics revolving around power-relations, territorialism, and state formation.