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«IZVESTIYA IRKUTSKOGO GOSUDARSTVENNOGO UNIVERSITETA». SERIYA «POLITOLOGIYA. RELIGIOVEDENIE»
«THE BULLETIN OF IRKUTSK STATE UNIVERSITY». SERIES «POLITICAL SCIENCE AND RELIGION STUDIES»
ISSN 2073-3380 (Print)

List of issues > Series «Political Science and Religion Studies». 2026. Vol 56

The Role of Civil Society in the Transformation of Regional Conflicts: Functional Potential and Systemic Limitations

Author(s)

L. Z. Abdokova1

Karachay-Cherkess Republican Institute for Advanced Training of Educational Workers,Cherkessk, Russian Federation

Abstract
The article analyzes the role of civil society institutions in the process of transformation and resolution of regional conflicts. An attempt has been made to critically reflect on the potential of civil society to contribute to conflict resolution. To achieve this goal, the article poses three interrelated questions: what specific functions do civil society institutions perform in conflict resolution and transformation, and what measurable results do they achieve? What fundamental paradoxes and internal contradictions hinder the effectiveness of these organizations? Under what conditions can civil society achieve the greatest success in conflict resolution efforts? The article also examines the political, social and economic factors influencing the effectiveness of civil society initiatives. The author advocates a transition from the traditional approach to conflict resolution, which focuses on elite negotiations, to a more modern approach aimed at eliminating the underlying structural causes of conflicts. The article uses the multilevel model of peace-building developed by J. P. Lederach and the concept of social capital proposed by J. P. Lederach as a theoretical basis by Coleman and R. Putnam. The study systematizes the key roles of civil society in conflict resolution and examines the effectiveness of these roles based on empirical evidence and case studies. Special attention is paid to the analysis of fundamental paradoxes that hinder the activities of civil society, and conclusions are drawn about the conditions necessary for successful peacekeeping activities.
About the Authors
Abdokova Larisa Zaudinovna, Candidate of Sciences (Economics), Associate Professor, Department of Social Science Education Karachay-Cherkess Republican Institute for Advanced Training of Educational Workers 139, Fabrichnaya st., Cherkessk, 369000, Russian Federation e-mail: abdokova_lz@mail.ru
For citation
Abdokova L.Z. The Role of Civil Society in the Transformation of Regional Conflicts: Functional Potential and Systemic Limitations. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Political Science and Religion Studies, 2026, vol. 56, pp. 21- 35. https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3380.2026.56.21 (in Russian)
Keywords
civil society, civil society institutions, regional conflicts, conflict transformation, peacemaking, paradoxes of civil society.
UDC
323.26+323.22
DOI
https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3380.2026.56.21
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Full text (russian)