11–12 Jun 2026 Annual Conference
Stockholm University
Europe/Stockholm timezone

Mapping Plural Visions of Peace: The Peace Cube as an Analytical Framework

11 Jun 2026, 10:45
10m
Stockholm University

Stockholm University

Frescativägen, 114 19 Stockholm, Sweden
Paper Abstract (Closed Panels) War Abroad War Abroad

Speaker

Yijun Xu (Free University of Berlin)

Description

Recent debates in peacebuilding have moved beyond the liberal peace paradigm to emphasize plural, locally grounded understandings of peace. However, despite this “local turn,” the field still lacks systematic tools for conceptualizing and comparing diverse visions of peace across actors and contexts. This article addresses this gap by proposing a new conceptual framework - the peace cube - as an analytical tool to visualize and compare different visions of peace across actors and contexts. Integrating insights from existing typologies that distinguish between levels, domains, and values of peace, the peace cube offers a multidimensional structure that captures the complexity and relational nature of peace visions. The article demonstrates the utility of this model through the case of Colombia, where the Duque government, civil society groups, and feminist actors articulate distinct yet interrelated understandings of peace. By mapping these visions within a shared conceptual space, the peace cube highlights tensions, overlaps, and potential areas of dialogue between competing perspectives. Ultimately, this approach contributes to a more systematic and plural understanding of peace, offering a practical tool for bridging conceptual divides in peacebuilding theory and practice.

If you are submitting an Open Panel proposal, have you included all four abstracts in attachment? No, I am submitting a Closed Panel abstract
Would you like to be considered for travel funding through the NetSec COST Action? No
Are you a member of the NetSec Management Committee? No
What discipline or branch of humanities or social sciences do you identify yourself with? peace studies
Which of the following best describes your stage of the career? PhD Candidate
In which country is your home institution? Free University of Berlin
What is your gender? Female

Author

Yijun Xu (Free University of Berlin)

Co-author

Dr Gijsbert Van Iterson Scholten (University of Amsterdam)

Presentation materials

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