Perceiving Perceptions

Under which circumstances will formerly hostile parties come together and choose a peaceful settlement over a further escalation of violence? And how can mediators foster these conciliatory circumstances? These questions lie at the very heart of conflict studies. Psychological models, however, have traditionally played only a minor role in this particular discipline. Social psychologist Dean G. Pruitt aims to correct this underrepresentation by employing the conflict parties’ own perceptions and cognitive processes to explain the beginning and cessation of war. In order to assess the scientific value of Pruitt’s contentious “Readiness Theory”, this book puts the unorthodox approach to a scientific test. Against the backdrop of the conflict in Chechnya and the North Caucasus, the book applies Readiness Theory and its cognitive mechanisms to the Chechen wars. Using a qualitative research design and a broad variety of source material, the main actors’ dispositions and perceptions are analyzed and the theory’s predictions evaluated. The results show that Readiness Theory and its cognitive variables are inadequate as an explanatory model for conflict studies.