Critical Research Agendas for Peace: The Missing Link in the Study of International Relations

Abstract

An elaborate intellectual and policy framework has been constructed in order to preserve and protect “peace.” The concept of peace is often used to refer to what Plato would have described as an “ideal form,” or to depict a minimalist, realistliberal version in which there is an absence of overt violence particularly between or within states. These common and differing usages illustrate that the concept of peace has generally been overlooked, and is often deployed in an ill-specified manner, while at the same time implying extraordinary levels of legitimacy. This article explores the consequences of not engaging with the concept of peace and outlines the possibilities inherent in opening up multiple conceptualizations of peace as a critical research agenda central to International Relations.