Please find TRAFIG working paper no. 5 here. more
Today, Afghans and Syrians constitute the highest numbers of immigrants in Germany and Europe. In this Policy Brief, the authors argue that policy must recognise the significant potential of Afghan and Syrian refugees and migrants in Germany and beyond as peace advocates and change agents in... more
Please find the article here. more
Please find the book chapter here. more
The labour market for healthcare workers is one of the largest occupational markets worldwide with a comparatively high scale of public investments in human capital. Despite the already tangible ‘care crisis’, Germany and other European countries train healthcare workers below their actual demand... more
Restricted by the pandemic, BICC staff still continued their empirical research in regions characterised by forced displacement, volatile, violent conflicts and arms proliferation. BICC’s Annual Report illustrates the unique expertise of BICC: Research and policy advice that put the perspective of... more
This Policy Brief, written in cooperation with Malteser International, is based on an assessment of the current living conditions in northern Iraq (in the understanding to include the Kurdistan Region of Iraq with the provinces of Erbil, Dohuk and Sulaymaniyah as well as the disputed territories... more
Please find the article here. more
External researchers have criticised existing self-monitoring measures of national and European AVRR programmes for neglecting reintegration and focusing on means to ensure that rejected asylum seekers and undocumented migrants leave the national territory, regardless of what happens next. This... more
Editors: Marc von Boemcken, Nina Bagdasarova, Aksana Ismailbekova & Conrad Schetter. Please find the book here. more
Editors: Marc von Boemcken, Nina Bagdasarova, Aksana Ismailbekova & Conrad Schetter. Please find the book here. more
Editors: Marc von Boemcken, Nina Bagdasarova, Aksana Ismailbekova & Conrad Schetter. Please find the book here. more
Editors: Marc von Boemcken, Nina Bagdasarova, Aksana Ismailbekova & Conrad Schetter. Please find the book here. more
This Policy Brief shows not only the contradictory manner in which Western governments have dealt with demands of control, low costs and humanitarian approaches but also the negative consequences this has for the asylum seekers and refugees, their families and the receiving state. Based on the... more
The community-based conservation model is an increasing phenomenon in Kenya, especially in northern pastoralist counties. In BICC Working Paper 3\2020 the author Kennedy Mkutu considers dimensions of inclusion and exclusion and subsequent conflicts around community based conservancies in Isiolo... more
Please find the Peace Report 2020 here. more
Please find the Peace Report 2020 here. more
The recommendations in this Policy Brief are based on the results of the research project "Prevention of Radicalisation in North Rhine-Westphalia - How can the capacities of intermediaries be strengthened? Between January and October 2019, the team of authors conducted semi-structured... more
Prevention against Islamist radicalisation is still an important policy field in North Rhine-Westphalia. But what is the current state of affairs from the perspective of those who work in prevention locally? Where do local advisors on prevention, teachers, social workers, representatives of local... more
How do refugees and migrants in Germany deal with conflicts in their daily lives? And how do they do so in their country of origin by engaging in peace processes? This Knowledge Note provides key insights into our BICC conference on “Refugees and migrants between everyday conflict and peace... more
Please find the article here. more
Please find the book here. more
In 2030, the envisaged year of the accomplishment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), millions and millions of displaced people will still be living under precarious conditions. It is already clear that the SDGs’guiding principle “leaving no one behind” cannot be fulfilled; forced... more
In the coronavirus crisis, bottlenecks in urgently needed protective equipment are leading to the perception that the conversion of production sites is a “quick and pragmatic” solution. In his commentary, Professor Herbert Wulf, founding director of the peace and conflict research institute BICC... more
In light of the coronavirus-crisis, European refugee policy is currently receding into the background. But the situation of refugees at the EU's external borders, on the islands of the Aegean Sea and elsewhere on the periphery of Europe is deteriorating rapidly, aggravated by the global... more
Putting the humanitarian–development nexus into practice, aid organisations and donors pay most attention to camp populations in protracted refugee situations (PRS). In BICC Working Paper 1\2020 the author Markus Rudolf argues that synergies arise when development aid redefines and expands the area... more
Please find the article here. more
Please find the book here. more
Please find the book here. more
Please find the article here. more
For several decades now, Germany has become home to significant numbers of Afghans, and more recently Syrians, who have fled war. In this Working Paper, the authors Esther Meininghaus and Katja Mielke analyse the political engagement for peace by Afghans and Syrians in Germany since the beginning... more
Please find the article here. more
As synthesis report of the research project "Protected rather than protracted" BICC Working Paper 10\2019 provides key insights and recommendations for development cooperation. The project’s approach of analysing protracted displacement through the perspectives and experiences of the... more
In BICC Policy Brief 9\2019 the author Ruth Vollmer gives the following recommendations: \ Make people’s agency the starting point of livelihood support The support provided to people in protracted displacement by development actors needs to be based on a thorough understanding of their... more
This Working Paper assesses how humanitarian and development aid agencies address individuals whose human rights and human dignity have been affected by displacement. It proposes a fresh look at how to measure needs that arise in such situations. To this end, the Paper evaluates... more
Since its foundation in 1994, BICC (Bonn International Center for Conversion) has developed into one of the leading institutes for peace and conflict research in Europe. BICC’s Annual Report illustrates: The unique scientific expertise of the Center derives from the empirical insights that its... more
Please find the book here. more
Sierra Leone is known for the successful reintegration of a high number of returning refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs), many of whom had stayed in protracted displacement situations during the eleven years of a most cruel internal war. The war was intertwined with... more
Please find the book chapter here. more
In Colombia, the peace agreement of 2016 ended the armed fighting between the government and the guerilla group FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia). Nevertheless, some regions experienced an increase in organised crime and associated violent displacement after the agreement was... more
Please find the book chapter here. more
Pastoral counties of northern Kenya are expected to undergo massive change in the coming years due to the government’s ambitious infrastructural development agenda. However, the area frequently experiences violence as a result of conflict between pastoralist communities, and also due to... more
Please find the article here. The article traces the everyday securityscapes of marginalized groups in Kyrgyzstan. It finds that they are as much about the crossing as the drawing of boundaries. To seek security is to become invisible, deceive, withdraw, seize momentary opportunities and... more
In BICC Policy Brief 6\2019 “On handling conflicts among refugees and migrant communities in NRW - Assuring equal treatment and enabling participation on equal terms”, the author Tim Röing gives the following recommendations: \ Address hostilities between refugees and people with a migration... more
Since the failed coup attempt by parts of the Turkish military against President Erdogan in summer 2016, the Turkish government has suspended more than 100,000 civil servants on the pretext of having planned a coup. For fear of persecution and arbitrary imprisonment, about 21,000 Turkish citizens... more
Please find the full FrieEnt Study 07/2019 on "Land and Conflict Prevention" here. more
Please find the Working Paper here. TRAFIG aims to contribute to the development of alternative solutions to protracted displacement that are tailored to the needs and capacities of displaced persons. This working paper contains our central concepts and key terms. We make use of the concept of... more
In peace and security policy, international and regional regulatory frameworks are under pressure, as are the institutions that serve to implement them. In this situation, the existing rules and institutions must be protected, and at the same time new rules and processes for securing peace must be... more
BICC Working Paper 5\2019 by Simone Christ analyses integration processes of refugees in Germany, particularly taking the situation in North Rhine-Westphalia into account. The Working Paper is based on almost two years of field research that includes expert interviews, interviews with displaced... more
On 28 and 29 November 2018, BICC hosted an international conference entitled “Breaking Cycles of Displacement” in Bonn. The conference presented and discussed the findings of the four-year-long comparative BICC research project “Protected rather than protracted—Strengthening Refugees and Peace”... more
In BICC Policy Brief 5\2019 "The key to successful integration of refugees in Germany. Language skills, housing, work, social participation", author Simone Christ understands integration as participation for all people that is as equitable as possible. Integration is a process of... more
Jordan, with a population of about ten million, hosts 1.3 million Syrians of whom 670,000 are UNHCR-registered refugees, as well as nearly 85,000 registered refugees from other countries and is thus one of the countries with the highest proportion of refugees in the world. Most of them (83 per... more
During the eleven years of civil war in Sierra Leone, more than two million people—more than half of the population—were displaced and between 50,000 and 70,000 people were killed. In BICC Policy Brief 4\2019 the author Elke Grawert addresses post-war reintegration and reconciliation. The... more
This Working Paper argues that conflicts in refugee shelters in Germany can largely be attributed to structural causes. These include the asylum regime, the interplay between the physical layout and social relationships within refugee shelters, and the specific properties of the refugee... more
Please find the paper here. more
The EU-Jordan Compact links support for the government of Jordan as the host country of more than 670,000 registered Syrian refugees (in 2018) with economic cooperation and trade liberalisation to satisfy the interests of the government of Jordan and the European Union (EU). Established in 2016,... more
Uganda hosts the largest refugee population in Africa and is, after Turkey and Pakistan, the third-largest refugee recipient country worldwide. Political and humanitarian actors have widely praised Ugandan refugee policies because of their progressive nature: In Uganda, in contrast to many other... more
In the BICC Working Paper "Theology, Therapy or Participation? German Salafism, Radicalisation and the Search for Prevention Strategies" author Marc von Boemcken analyses research approaches to the prevention of radicalisation. According to the security authorities, the number of violent... more
Please find the book here. Central Asia remains on the periphery, both spatially and in people’s imaginations. When the region does attract international attention, it is often related to security issues, including terrorism, ethnic conflict and drug trafficking.This book brings together leading... more
‘Stabilisation’ is becoming increasingly important as a policy paradigm in international security and development policy. However, different approaches to stabilisation are discussed in academia, policy and practice. Often, there is a tension between short-term approaches to stabilisation that are... more
Tunisia faces three interconnected challenges: The first is overcoming its energy crisis and unsustainable fossil fuel dependency; the second is achieving economic growth to improve people’s livelihood, and the third is moving forward with political reforms. BICC’s Policy Brief “Energy planning... more
Please find the article here. more
Energy transitions are more than just a process of replacing one type of electricity generation technology with another and eventually amending some market frameworks to support this switch economically. Energy transitions run deep in- to the fabric of social relations and require a... more
This Working Paper addresses the situation of Afghans before, during and after their displacements in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. Its aim is: (1) to under- stand how internally displaced lower-class Afghans, refugees who have returned and Afghan refugees staying in... more
The goal of this research was to understand the visions and views of different groups of stakeholders on different electricity-generation technologies currently considered in Jordan. A total of nine electricity-generation technologies were evaluated (concentrated solar power, large-scale PV,... more
In its Annual Report 2018, the international peace and conflict research Institute BICC analyzes the question of how peace and sustainability can be interlinked, and which challenges arise from this. The Annual Report 2018 not only connects research projects on forced displacement with this... more
BICC partnered with Germany’s international broadcaster Deutsche Welle and hosted a session at the Global Media Forum 2018 “Global Inequalities” in Bonn, Germany. BICC’s session “Global inequalities in the academic world: Researchers under threat” took place on 12 June 2018. The session first drew... more
Please find the Policy Brief here. A large-scale offensive by the Syrian regime and Russia on the governorate in North West Syria would have threatened the lives and livelihoods of close to 3 million persons. This Policy Brief by Dr. Esther Meininghaus (BICC) and Michael Kühn... more
In BICC Policy Brief 10\2018 the authors Esther Meininghaus and Katja Mielke introduce the concept of situated sustainability: Situated sustainability comprises local practices, understandings and imaginations of resource use across and within significantly different contexts (spatial and other)... more
The protracted situation of those that are internally displaced in and that have fled from Columbia as well as the exodus of large parts of the Venezuelan population pose enormous humanitarian as well as political challenges to the region, and particularly Ecuador as one of the major recipient... more
Tunisia faces the challenge of meeting its increasing energy demand while at the same time responding to urgent developmental challenges in the midst of socio-political transformations. Achieving societal support for its energy policies is vital to a successful energy transition to sustainability.... more
In line with COP21 agreements, state-led climate change mitigation and adaptation actions are being undertaken to transition to carbon-neutral, green economies. However, the capacity of many countries for action is limited and may result in a boomerang effect, defined as the unintended... more
Please find the book here. more
Please find the book here. more
Energy transition towards a more significant share of domestically generated resources will inevitably lead to a societal transformation in Jordan, which will affect interests of existing and emerging electricity-generation industries and other stakeholders. To be sustainable, such a transition... more
For many people in Myanmar, forced recruitment, landmines and religious discrimination are causes of displacement and obstacles to return. In BICC Policy Brief 8 \ 2018, Markus Rudolf analyzes the current conflicts and formulates recommendations for handling forced displacement in Myanmar from the... more
Multi-party elections and the signing of a Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in 2015 raised hopes in the international community of a possible settlement of Myanmar’s protracted conflict and one of the world’s worst protracted displacement situations (PDS) in the near future. Yet conflicts in... more
BICC Policy Brief 7\2018 „Gute Rückkehrpolitik braucht gute Rückkehrberatung. Empfehlungen zu ihrer Gestaltung“ (in German language) describes the complex, state-specific services regarding return advice. On the one hand, there is the non-statutory welfare sector that has developed professional,... more
The world is currently far removed from a stable and just peace order. The wars in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere have claimed thousands of victims and are forcing people to flee. The common concern for peace through international co-operation – for example in the United Nations (UN) – is... more
Please find the project page here. Within the framework of the research project MiddleEast North Africa Sustainable Electricity Trajectories (MENASELECT), a two-day workshop was conducted in the Hotel Africa in Tunis, Tunisia on 19 and 20 October 2017. Stakeholder representatives from different... more
Morocco’s energy challenges lie at the intersection of the country’s development and climate challenges. In BICC Policy Brief 6\2018 “Renewable Energy: A Key to Enhancing the Societal Dimension of Energy Transition in Morocco” Shahrazad Far gives recommendations for future cooperation. Based on... more
In BICC Policy Brief 5\2018 the authors Katja Mielke and Elke Grawert discuss how Germany can support the agency of Afghans in protracted displacement. Based on their field research, they in particular recommend: \ Take the initiative for Afghanistan in the Global Compact for Migration: For... more
On 19 October 2017, BICC (Bonn International Center for Conversion) hosted its annual International Academic Conference entitled “‘Dirty Peace?’ The Political Economy of Peacebuilding” in Bonn. BICC Knowledge Note 1\2018, edited by Elvan Isikozlu and Susanne Heinke documents the conference... more
Please find the book chapter here. more
Starting from the presupposition that areas of limited statehood (ALS) are not ungoverned, but ‘differently’ governed, this chapter proposes a spatial grammar that analyses authority and governance as a socio-spatial relationship. This spatial grammar distinguishes four types of dynamic... more
Larry Swatuk, Associate Researcher at BICC, comments on ongoing popular debates like #WaterWars, #DayZero. He argues for avoiding alarmism and hyperbole as tools of motivation for human action. Instead, Swatuk reflects on the challenge to ensure adequate amounts and qualities of water for the... more
Please find the article here. more
Imaginations of existential threat do not only express themselves in exceptional actions – as prominently suggested by securitization theory – but also in routine, day-to-day practices. They can become a part of ‘normal’ life. We demonstrate this by following the everyday activities of individuals... more
At the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants in September 2016, it was agreed to develop two new global agreements: The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees, to be adopted in late 2018. It is expected that both ... more
Since 2014, several legal reforms in Germany have reduced bureaucratic barriers for refugees’ access to work. They were coupled with the introduction of more language classes and other skill-enhancing measures. This proclaimed aim of quickly integrating refugees in the labour market marks a... more
Civil wars, such as in Syria/ Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan or in Donbass persist, as does forced migration as an effect of violent conflicts around the world. Researchers of the peace and conflict research institute BICC (Bonn International Center for Conversion) conduct empirical research and... more
When companies operate in fragile and conflict-affected settings (FCAS), they encounter a range of particular problems. Many companies try to protect staff, premises and machinery by hiring security guards. Armed guards escort convoys of trucks. Expenditures for security measures can be quite... more
Please find the press release here. (pdf, in German) more
With the aim of identifying the challenges of and motives for conflict-sensitive employment, the authors Elke Grawert (BICC) and Fazalrabi Shirzad (The Liaison Office, TLO) present a qualitative study on construction and transport companies in Afghanistan, based on interviews with company owners... more
People’s movements and their immobilities are structured by and structure specific livelihood trajectories and the places at the crossroads. This chapter connects livelihood studies to recent geographical research and draws on Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice as conceptual frame analysing the... more
Despite recent peace talks in Geneva in February and March, the conflict in Syria shows no signs of ending soon. Consequently, the refugees’ chances of finding durable solutions remain slim and most Syrian refugees can only try to build a livelihood within Turkey. This Policy Brief by Heidrun... more
This Policy Brief presents recommendations on conflict prevention in German refugee shelters, in which all refugees are obliged to live until their applications for asylum have been processed. This study aims to contribute to prevent, minimise or resolve conflict at the level of shelters run by the... more
In order to understand Russia's regime we should study the interaction of formal and informal, of charismatic and clientelistic politics, of security politics and loyalty, of insecurity and mobilization, the repertoire of feudal politics and the political economy of state monopolistic capitalism.... more
Please find the Peace Report 2017 here. more
Germany's shelter system for refugees differs between its 16 federal states; this study focuses on the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), which hosts the highest number of refugees who have entered Germany thus far. Using a qualitative approach, the study conducted by BICC researchers... more
Asia and the Pacific region are particularly affected by displacement: 3.8 million people are under the mandate of the UNHCR and millions of these are internally displaced people (IDPs). The causes of displacement in Asia are multiple and go well beyond what is covered by the... more
This article theorizes and empirically investigates the link between ethnic divisions and terrorist attacks on a local scale. We argue that terrorists in ethnic contexts can use two separate provocation strategies: one targeting the government and one targeting opposing ethnic groups in order to... more
In this pioneering volume, leading scholars from a diversity of backgrounds in the humanities, social sciences, and different area studies argue for a more differentiated and self-reflected role of area-based science in global knowledge production. Considering that the mobility of people, goods,... more
Mielke, K, & Hornidge, A.-K. (2017). Introduction: Knowledge Production, Area Studies and the Mobility Turn. In K. Mielke, & A.-K. Hornidge (Eds.), Area Studies at the Crossroads. Knowledge Production after the Mobility Turn (pp. 3-26). New York: Palgrave Macmillan. more
Hornidge, A.-K., & Mielke, K. (2017). The Art of Science Policy for 21st Century Area Studies: Concluding Reflections. In K. Mielke, & A.-K. Hornidge (Eds.), Area Studies at the Crossroads. Knowledge Production after the Mobility Turn (pp. 327-344). New York: Palgrave Macmillan. more
Mielke, K, & Wilde, A. (2017). The Role of Area Studies in Theory Production. A Differentiation of Mid-Range Concepts and the Example of Social Order. In K. Mielke, & A.-K. Hornidge (Eds.), Area Studies at the Crossroads. Knowledge Production after the Mobility Turn (pp. 159-176). New York:... more
Dealing with the aftermath of the current situation in northern Iraq requires a mid-and a long-term strategy. The author of BICC Policy Brief 2 \ 2017 “Wanted: Good Governance—Protection of minorities and human rights in northern Iraq”, Markus Rudolf, stresses that both have to recognize... more
On 3 November 2016, BICC hosted its annual International Academic Conference, focussing this year on the pressing global issue of internal displacement and refugee movements. Almost 65 million people are currently displaced worldwide, most of whom have been displaced for more than five years.... more
In many cities in Germany, there have been conflicts around the reception, housing and integration of refugees. Local actors responsible for the housing of refugees have used various strategies to encounter this challenge. On 17 February, municipal actors (mayors, representatives from the... more
As electricity systems are not developed in isolation from society, but in a continuous interaction with social, economic, environmental, and political dimensions, this publication aims to develop a comprehensive database for the purpose of evaluating the complex trade-offs between different... more
This chapter describes the eight electricity generation technologies considered in this publication by illustrating the basic principles behind each form of electricity generation, the conventional sub-types for each technology, as well as their common application and specific technological... more
On 19 May 2016, BICC hosted the one-day international expert workshop “Former military sites in urban space—Conversion for the city of the future?” in Bonn. BICC Knowledge Note 1\2017 documents the results. The workshop hoped to find answers to the question which impulses the conversion of former... more
Please find the book chapter here. more
Please find the article here. more
The Philippines is a labour exporting country since the 1970s. Due to the contract labour systems in destinations such as the Middle East or East Asia, migrants are usually not able to bring their family members. This development led to the rise of transnational families – families who maintain... more
Ethnicity became a pivotal element of the Bonn Agreement 2001 aiming to end the civil wars in Afghanistan that have been ongoing since 1979. In the political process, ethnic categories were understood as key building blocks of Afghan society. In essence, the Bonn Agreement sought to outbalance... more
“The space of vulnerability” – the title of the influential paper by Michael Watts and Hans-Georg Bohle from 1993 – highlights the importance of spatiality for vulnerability research. As geographers have fundamentally shaped the concept of vulnerability, the issue of spatiality has been crucial for... more
In the past 30 years the concept of vulnerability has been an important paradigm in human geography and development studies. Vulnerability analyses have significantly enhanced our understanding of everyday life under conditions of poverty and food insecurity in the Global South and of people's... more
In the popular debate about climate change and adaptation in Bangladesh, migration is most often framed in a negative light: People are fleeing due to environmental changes and are displaced in the wake of disasters. Mobility is largely seen as a reaction and migrants as more or less passive... more
This book examines the radical changes in social and political landscape of the Upper Guinea Coast region over the past 30 years as a result of civil wars, post-war interventions by international, humanitarian agencies and peacekeeping missions, as well as a regional public health crisis (Ebola... more
This scientific report examines the spatial impacts of oil exploitation in Melut County, South Sudan, at six points in the time span between 1999 and 2011, based on Landsat satellite data. Three features were analysed: cropland, oil well pads and roads. Feature extraction consisted of pixel- and... more
Cermeño, H., & Mielke, K. (2016). Cityscapes of Lahore: Reimagining the Urban. In P. Vandal (Ed.), Peoples History of Pakistan (pp. 110-139). Lahore: THAAP Journal. more
This article analyses the dire state of the health system in war-torn Syria. It investigates the drastic changes that have transpired in health provisions since the beginning of the conflict and sheds light on emerging coping mechanisms. The article traces the militarisation of medical care and... more
This article explores the positionalities of two traditionally mobile groups of people in Afghanistan, former pastoralists and peripatetics, who are currently living in several urban camps in Kabul. Starting from the assumption of their immobilization in-between places, the research shows their... more
In BICC Working Paper 7\2016 Heidrun Bohnet investigates the challenges South Sudanese returnees and displaced persons face from their very own perspective. Building on field research in the autumn and winter of 2015, the author analyses the patterns of return and coping strategies of returnees, as... more
Recent scholarship has found evidence that refugee flows may inadvertently contribute to the spread of conflict across borders. Little is known, however, about the spatial diffusion of conflict within a state’s borders and what role internal displacement plays in such a dynamic. This question is of... more
Since the 1970s, the Philippine state has been sending migrant workers to the global labor market. Today, around 10% of the population lives abroad. After more than 40 years of state-sponsored labor ‘export’, international labor migration has become a way of life in the Philippines. From the... more
In cooperation with researchers in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, BICC (Bonn International Center for Conversion) is conducting a three-year research project on everyday security practices in Central Asia, which is funded by the Volkswagen Foundation. The project was launched in July 2015. While... more
Please find the book chapter here. more
Esther Meininghaus, researcher at BICC, comments on the World Humanitarian Summit, 23-24 May 2016 in Istanbul. She underlines that “we need to act, and we need to act fast” but also addresses mayor shifts in aid funding and the crisis of the UN. Last but not least she argues that the separation of... more
The case of South Sudan shows that peace on paper does not necessarily mean peace on the ground. Many displaced persons are sceptical of the peace process and the commitment of their leaders, in particular as nothing has changed since the beginning of the conflict. Nevertheless, over ten thousand... more
The Arab Uprisings have brought renewed attention to the role of the military in the MENA region, where they are either the backbone of regime power or a crucial part of patronage networks in political systems. This collection of essays from international experts examines the economic interests of... more
This article argues that humanitarian aid in intra-state conflict plays a crucial but largely unrecognised role in shaping the preconditions for negotiations for peace and post-conflict reconstruction. Drawing on a spatial theory approach, it identifies the role of humanitarian aid as not being... more
Please find the book here. more
Based on their field research, the authors Katja Mielke and Elke Grawert reason in policy brief 1/2016 why Afghanistan is no safe country of return. They give policy recommendations that take into account the complex insecurity situation in which the Afghan population finds itself after the decline... more
This Paper reviews the current state of the art on the return of displaced persons as a durable solution for long-term displacement situations. It outlines the impact, challenges and actors involved in the return process. The Paper shows that present understandings of return, protracted situations... more
Introducing a new cross-national dataset on the ethnicity of refugees, covering the years 1975–2009, this study analyzes refugee flight patterns. We argue that the asylum destination of refugees is not haphazard but determined by trans-border ethnic linkages. Building on migration theories, we... more
The European Energy Union is a political strategy aimed at ensuring communitarian energy transition, security of supply, a fully integrated European energy market and increased energy efficiency. However, the origin and content of the strategy is simultaneously well rooted in the EU’s external... more
By the end of 2014, 6.4 million refugees found themselves in protracted situations that have been in place for over five years, and numbers are rising. Could return be a solution to these protracted situations? In BICC Policy Brief 3\2015 Heidrun Bohnet and Markus Rudolf point out what issues... more
Please find the chapter here. more
Dr Andrea Licata, political scientist from Italy and Associate Researcher of BICC, comments on the Italian politics of base conversion. His criticism of only state budget driven approaches to bases closures is that they “disregard the potential of former military sites at the local level” and “deny... more
Please find the Peace Report 2015 here. more
Precluding conflict financing through the minerals sector has come to be seen as the panacea to ending conflicts in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The US Dodd-Frank-Act (2010) and European draft legislation attempt to reduce the financing of armed groups in conflict zones by... more
In the weeks and months ahead, the European parliament has a decisive role in reaching meaningful European legislation on the responsible sourcing of minerals from conflict regions. In mid- May 2015, it is due to vote on an EU regulation drafted by the European Commission. In BICC Policy Brief... more
Professor Larry Swatuk, University of Waterloo, Canada, is an expert on environmental security and natural resources governance. Commenting on the water crisis in California he argues: “In my view, this prolonged drought challenges not only Californians but every one of us to reconsider the ends to... more
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of BICC on 10 April 2014, the Center organised the expert workshop “Conversion Studies put to the test—Base conversion in Germany and Western Europe”. BICC Knowledge Note 1/2015 documents the contributions to and discussions of the workshop (in German). 25... more
Please find the research report here. more
Please find the issue here. more
The study “Compensation Matters Securing community interests in large-scale investments” provides analyses of contentious issues in compensation matters such as power relations in negotiations, entitlements for compensation and types of compensation. Furthermore, it offers practitioners tools and... more
After a sketch of the current need for reform in the Kimberley Process for rough diamonds, BICC Focus 12 “Legacy of a resource-fueled war: The role of generals in Angola’s mining sector” scrutinizes the role that generals of the Angolan state armed forces FAA play in Angola’s mining... more
This brief aims to contribute to the study of the relationship between government, oil corporations, and local communities in South Sudan. Its area of study are the oil fields of Blocks 3 and 7 in Melut and Maban Counties, Upper Nile State, the largest oil producing area in the country,... more
Please find the article here. more
This report is based on research conducted in Juba, Torit, and Kapoeta during August and September 2012. The research provides an initial examination on the underdocumented issue of mining in South Sudan and seeks to provide the government of South Sudan with evidence-based... more
High-mountain areas in arid environments are extremely sensitive indicators of sometimes only slight changes of precipitations and temperatures. This holds true especially for the so far under-researched mountain regions of Iran and its immediate neighbours. Climate change, however, is not the only... more
While the borderland between Afghanistan and Pakistan has gained global significance since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, it is too narrow an approach to view this region solely through the lens of the “war on terror”. To understand this border region, one has to take the complex web of conflicts... more
Researchers from SÜDWIND and BICC traveled to gold mines in the DR Congo and Peru in the framework of a joint project to find out which measures can help small-scale and artisanal miners to secure their livelihood in regions of conflict and to improve social and ecological mining... more
Please find the article here. more
Food Production of Women, Labour Migration of Men, and Policies for Peasants' Need. This book was first published in Basingstoke/London/New York by MacMillan Press / St. Martin's Press in 1998. The rights have been reverted to the author, Elke Grawert, in 2007. Reproduction, copy of transmission... more
Please find the book here. more
E-Discussion Report Participation of Diaspora In Peacebuilding and Development Stabilization & Peacebuilding Community of Practice, September 9th – October 24th 2011 more
Documentation of an expert meeting on artisanal miners, Bonn (29 February 2012). more
Please find the article here. more
Commercial security affects a number of development-related factors, such as the capacity of states to govern, overall feelings of public safety, economic growth and social welfare.Findings from field research in Timor-Leste, Liberia and Peru indicate that the relation between commercial security... more
Please find the article here. more
Lecture on behalf of the Stuttgart expert meeting on migrants in human rights activities (9 December 2011). more
On behalf of the Stiftung Umwelt und Entwicklung Nordrhein-Westfalen (SUE), the State Government of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), BICC carried out a study on „Migration—Integration—Development. African migrant organizations in North... more
Please find the book here. more
Please find the book here. more
Please find the book here. more
Paper presented at the Bonn Climate Talks, 01-12 June 2010 more
The paper begins with a discussion of the possible negative consequences of oil exploitation in developing countries, often referred to as resource curse, introducing the analytical framework of the ‘petro-state’ (Section 1). In order to assess the relevance of revenue transparency for addressing... more
This paper analyzes the likely intersections between climate change, migration and conflict. The paper identifies some of the most relevant factors that might turn environmentally induced migration into a source of conflict and hold major implications for receiving areas. more
BICC brief 42 "Diasporas and Peace: A Comparative Assessment of Somali and Ethiopian communities in Europe" is a DIASPEACE working paper.DIASPEACE (Diasporas for Peace: Patterns, Trends and Potential of Long-distance Diaspora Involvement in Conflict Settings) is a three-year research... more
Please find the article here. more
Please find the book here. more
Please find the article here. more
BICC brief 41 analyzes the effects of oil production on conflict dynamics in Chad. The authors, Lena Guesnet and Claudia Frank conclude in the study that the goal of the project supported by the World Bank, to foster development in the Central African country has failed miserably.The Chad-Cameroon... more
The trade and exploitation of natural resources such as cocoa, gold, petroleum and diamonds contributed to the conflict in Côte d’Ivoire and still obstruct the peace process in the country. This is one of the conclusions of BICC brief 40, entitled: “Natural Resources in Côte d’Ivoire: Fostering... more
Paper presented at the International Conference on Climate Change, Social Stress and Violent Conflict, Hamburg 19–20 November 2009. more
Please find the "Friedensgutachten 2009" here. more
BICC brief 39 is a documentation of the results of the international conference "Migration and Displacement in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Security – Migration Nexus II" (13-14 February 2009, Bonn). The event was supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)... more
A historical perspective, as proposed by this Occasional Paper, might illuminate one of the underlying roots of conflict and state failure and might also help address central problems to conflict resolution in Somalia. It is the thesis of this Paper that in the fertile riverine areas of southern... more
BICC brief 38 documents the international conference “Digging for Peace: Private Companies and Emerging Economies in Zones of Conflict” which took place from 21 to 22 November 2008 in Bonn. About 120 participants, amongst them representatives of research institutes, private companies, civil society... more
Institutional Capacity Development in Transboundary Water Management. The United Nations World Water Assessment Programme, Side Publication Series “Insights”. UNESCO, Paris. more
This collection of Southern African case studies is intended to contribute to the burgeoning literature on transboundary water governance (TBWG) particularly as it applies to areas of the Global South. Specifically, the collection interrogates the idea of the ‘boundary’. Transboundary Management is... more
This collection of Southern African case studies is intended to contribute to the burgeoning literature on transboundary water governance (TBWG) particularly as it applies to areas of the Global South. Specifically, the collection interrogates the idea of the ‘boundary’. Transboundary... more
This collection of Southern African case studies is intended to contribute to the burgeoning literature on transboundary water governance (TBWG) particularly as it applies to areas of the Global South. Specifically, the collection interrogates the idea of the ‘boundary’. Transboundary... more
Côte d’Ivoire is the only country, which is currently under embargo by the United Nations for the export of conflict diamonds since December 2005. The conflict and years of ‘no war, no peace’ have been profitable for both the military and the Forces Nouvelles (FN) rebels, thereby paralyzing the... more
Frustrated by complex donor policies and the high overhead costs of multilateral development projects, many African governments appreciated the alternative presented by the Chinese government in an increasingly multi-polar world.However, a sober analysis of China’s role in Africa indicates that... more
Most experts agree that sustainable peace consolidation demands more than a mere end of violence. Besides the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of ex-combatants and the re-establishment of national security and the state monopoly of violence it also needs the establishment and... more
Security sector reform (SSR) is on top of the Palestinian reform agenda. Palestinians want effective and accountable security forces that respond to their security needs. For them, security sector reform is also necessary to advance Palestinian state-building. However, many political organisations... more
For many developing countries, the extraction of natural resources has been a blessing, as their export can provide urgently needed development capital. For others, however, resource wealth has been a curse, as their population still faces extreme poverty and they have been haunted by corruption,... more
This synopsis on ‘resources and conflict’ presents 16 contemporary cases in which large projects from the areas of the extractive industries (oil, gas, and mining), logging and water management have led to violent or violence-prone conflicts. The synopsis comprises the core variables that determine... more
For the second time since the official end of the bloody civil war in 2002, the citizens of Sierra Leone were called up to cast their ballots in parliamentary and Presidential elections on 11 August 2007. The elections are a litmus test for the stability of the post-war order in Sierra Leone, which... more
Violent conflict around the extraction of natural resources characterizes everyday life in many resource-rich development countries. In particular in countries, where state structures are weak and where deficits in resource governance exist, a specific constellation of controversial extraction... more
BICC brief 36 documents the papers and speeches presented at the conference “The Security-Migration Nexus: Challenges and Opportunities of African Migration to EU Countries” which was held at Bonn, 22–23 February 2008. The event was commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic... more
The BP Tangguh gas project in the Indonesian province of (West) Papua is the currently largest development project in Indonesia. Situated in Bintuni Bay in the west of New Guinea, BP intends to extract natural gas from offshore gas fields, liquefy it on land and export it to customers such as China... more
In the first half of 2007, the Federal Republic of Germany not only has the presidency of the G8 but also of the European Council. One of the items on the agenda for the Presidency of the Council is to elaborate a strategy for Central Asia. Besides the improvement of the relations between the... more
While in February 2007 a promising agreement was reached for the North Korean nuclear program after the United States changed its negotiating strategy, there have been no signs of any such easing of tension as far as Iran is concerned. The UN Security Council has imposed sanctions because Iran has... more
The short formula “Development needs security, security needs development” describes experiences made in the past few years. Just a few years ago, it would have been just as unthinkable to resort to the expertise and resources of development policy for originally military measures as to enroll... more
Most experts agree today, that peace and stability are an absolute necessity for development and that vice versa, development is an absolute necessity for the sustainability of peace and stability. This nexus between development and extended security is mirrored both in the overall concept... more
This short study aims to stake out the options for better capturing the implications of the growing conception that development, conflict, security and peace are interdependent for the OECD DAC’s reporting system, within and outside of ODA (Official Development Assistance). It discusses various... more
Nowadays water security is an essential component both of the national security of individual states and of international security, because all dimensions of an extended security concept (food security, economic security, environmental security, human security at large) are dependent on water... more
The conversion of the town of Wünsdorf (approx. 40 km away from Berlin) is a great challenge and important task for all involved. According to the former Minister President of the Land Brandenburg, Wünsdorf was to become the best example of how a former military site can be transformed into a newly... more
The aim of this work is to identify if the problems posed by the environmental degradation of the Caspian Sea could be such an issue. The results of cooperation on environmental issues would be twofold. First it would ensue direct action against the large-scale ecological degradation, protection... more
From 1–2 March 2004, the Center for Development Research (ZEF) and the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC) hosted an International Expert Workshop on “Water, Development and Cooperation – Comparative Perspective: Euphrates-Tigris and Southern Africa” in Bonn, Germany. Experts from the... more
This paper aims at giving an overview of EU sanctions during the time period leading up to the first programmatic document on sanctions policy in June 2004. There are several reasons for why such an approach is valuable both for the research on European integration and for the international... more
In this paper, the reader will first find a short description of the history of the Cyprus conflict (Chapter II) and of the Annan Then, as security worries were one of the main reasons for Greek Cypriots to reject the Annan Plan, the security perceptions of Greek and Turkish Cypriots are analysed... more
What does the internationalization of the armed forces mean for their democratic control, and how can the privatization of the state monopoly of force be prevented? This book addresses the internationalization and privatization of war and peace to find answers to these two questions. If present... more
This volume reports on the success and failures in the efforts of eleven Central and East European transformation countries in the reform of their respective security sectors over the past decade. The case studies analyse and assess whether and to what extent the norms, concepts, standards and... more
More than two billion human beings throughout the world still live on less than US $2 per day, a situation the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations were designed to redress. Despite progress in a number of areas, the Goals are unlikely to be met without major policy changes. A... more
The purpose of this study is to explore the complex relationship between refugees and arms diffusion. It examines the nature and extent of refugee involvement in small arms diffusion by analysing refugees’ demand for small arms and how their crossborder movements lead to the circulation of arms.... more
Sweeping political and economic transformations worldwide have brought substantial reductions in armaments, armed forces and their associated costs. The authors describe a "decade of disarmament" after decades of an uninterrupted arms race.The decreased military employment of resources... more
The concept of media as the ‘fourth estate’ is now firmly established as a main principle of modern Western democratic theory. Free and independent media are a key element in democracies, where they play a vital role as a bridge or transmission belt between society and those who govern. The... more
While base conversion is, even in the best of circumstances, a long and complicated process, the municipalities and regions affected by the problem in CEE countries have had to face a number of additional difficulties. Especially in the first few years of the 1990s, base conversion had to be... more
In the past year, political leaders and the general public alike have paid increasing attention to what are seen as ‘new threats’ as well as the responses to them. Authoritarian or failed states, terrorism, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, and the legitimization of preemptive wars all... more
Security Sector Reform (SSR) is a broad and ambitious notion that concerns establishing and improving those security relationships and architectures most commonly associated with liberal democracy. Starting from the premise that there is no universally applicable model for SSR, this volume explores... more
This study aims to provide an overview of democratic accountability aspects of the European Rapid Reaction Force (ERRF), taking into account that the development of an operational European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) and the further fine tuning of the ERRF are part of a dynamic process. In... more
This paper will analyze the transformation processes in Bulgaria in order to determine which are the most influential factors leading to the sharp decline in the defense industry, and its costs—and benefits in the form of military conversion—to Bulgarian development. Secondly, it will analyze... more
BICC brief 21 “Small States—Big Worries. Choice and Purpose in the Security Policies of the Baltic States” looks into factors that have determined the Baltic security policy since independence in 1991.The development of security concepts and the buildup of armies in the Baltic can be divided into... more
The terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 may well be remembered as a turning point in recent history, marking the end of the post-Cold War era. As documented in detail in the Update, after a decade of cuts in military expenditures, reductions in arms production, job losses in the defense... more
BICC brief 19 “Assisting Conversion and Company Restructuring in Modova. A Tacis-funded Project” presents a case study of the TACIS (Technical Assistance for the Commonwealth of Independent States) project, which was carried out by a team of experts and headed by members of the Bonn International... more
The current slowdown in disarmament and conversion, after a decade of reductions, makes it imperative to find new ways of revitalizing these processes. With global military expenditures on the rise again and classical arms control inadequate to the new situation, there is a great need to develop... more
BICC brief 18 “Conversion in South Africa in the 1990s” describes and analyses South Africa’s record on conversion in the last decade. The brief focuses primarily on the years since the advent of democracy in South Africa in April 1994 and examines the remaining challenges. more
In 1999 the world risked losing sight of on-going disarmament efforts as wars such as Kosovo and Chechnya took the headlines. Nuclear arms negotiations stalled, 'old' conflicts continued, and the United States extended its role as the dominant military power, prompting a debate in Europe as to its... more
With the 'disarmament decade' drawing to a close, perceptible changes in worldwide demilitarization are taking place. The initial post-Cold War enthusiasm for a 'peace dividend' is tempered somewhat by revelations of a recent deceleration in disarmament initiatives. While this trend is reflected in... more
In BICC brief 13 “Integrated job marked projects on conversion sites: Evaluation of select examples from various German federal states” ca. 90 base re-use projects in Germany were identified where job creation programs are in place. Most of the cases are located in the new federal states due to... more
This report provides an analysis of the modern economic structure of Nizhniy Novgorod oblast and significant structural changes which took place after systemic reforms were launched with the special focus on defense industry and conversion. Niches for actual and potential growth have been... more
With the conversion survey 1998, the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC)presents its third yearbook. This year's edition lays emphasis on the worldwide process of adaptation of the defense industries-downsizing, concentration and conversion-to drastically reduced military expenditures... more
Since 1990, the world’s largest defense industry has shrunk by one-third. BICC brief 9 “US Conversion after the Cold War, 1990–1997. Lessons for Forging a New Conversion Policy” describes the resulting changes for the US arms industry, defense-dependent communities, members of the armed forces and... more
Retrenchment is a byproduct of public sector reform, which in turn is a direct response to some of the early implementation problems of structural adjustment programs (SAP). It has received much less attention than public sector reform (PSR) as donors, policy makers and researchers have tended to... more
It has become widely recognized that defense conversion is not merely a theory, but a practical policy instrument and process requiring planning and management. Accordingly, practical guidelines for implementing successful conversion policies are necessary, and this study seeks to support that aim... more
n its second yearbook Conversion Survey 1997: Global Disarmament and Disposal of Surplus Weapons, BICC (Bonn International Center for Conversion) presents an up-to-date overview of the most recent trends in international disarmament and conversion. Disarmament is continuing worldwide, even if the... more
For the first time, BICC brief 8 “Conversion in Poland: The Defense Industry and Base Redevelopment” offers an analysis of experiences made both in industrial and regional conversion in Poland.The redevelopment process of former bases is markedly behind the restructuring of the arms industry. A... more
This paper, written in early 1995, is meant to provide a broad overview of conversion issues in Africa. It reviews the literature and information on conversion in Africa. It attempts to draw conclusions that may form the basis for further research about trends in military expenditure and personnel,... more
Sweeping political and economic transformations worldwide have brought substantial reductions in armaments, armed forces and their associated costs. The authors describe a "decade of disarmament" after decades of an uninterrupted arms race.The decreased military employment of resources... more
In the past, research in the area of military conversion was not a major focus of the departments in the UN Secretariat and the semi-autonomous and autonomous organizations of the United Nations system. Different perceptions of the concept of conversion by Member States blocked any initiative to... more
With the reductions of global military expenditure in recent years and the end of the East–West arms race, major opportunities for conversion exists. Conversion is often looked at as a narrow problem of retooling arms factories for civilian production. In fact, the reduction in military activity... more
