“Critical thinking and curiosity are the keys to creativity.”
–Amala Akkineni
Exploring the Implications of Local and Regional Conflicts (2024) is meticulously curated for academics, researchers, current affairs practitioners, policymakers, diplomats, peacebuilding organizations, security professionals, business leaders, educators, academicians, and graduate and postgraduate students, equipping them with more critical means of analysis. It is supplemented with the most innovative methods and techniques developed by scholars from various backgrounds to revamp the interdisciplinary character of a project that goes beyond theoretical exercises by rigorously examining conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and the role of international institutions.
It brings together an experienced group of scholars who acknowledge that today’s political world is fraught with uncertainty fueled by the unprecedented intensity of mushrooming local and regional conflicts of global importance since the end of the Cold War. From the War in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, to the War in Ukraine, to the Israel War against Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthi in Yemen, these conflicts not only have taken a devastating toll on human lives – they present a formidable challenge to policymakers and scholars around the world and potentially threaten the stability of the entire world, as many fear the repeat of 1914 and 1939.
Under such circumstances, traditional theories of international relations and various conflict management strategies often fail to capture the complexities and nuances of this critical moment in world history. This publication endeavors to empower readers to confront today’s challenges head-on by infusing a pragmatic perspective into IR theory, conflict management, international law, and political philosophy and, in turn, to offer actionable insights for forging a path toward a more peaceful and stable future so that new escalations might be prevented. It suggests that as many countries in the proximity of the above-mentioned conflicts buy more military equipment to modernize their militaries IR theory and conflict management strategists also need to update their analyses.
Drawing from disciplines such as geoeconomics, geopolitics, just war theory, international law, security studies, and political philosophy, Exploring the Implications of Local and Regional Conflicts respectfully encourages us to put ourselves in other people’s shoes to inquisitively seek a deeper understanding of the nature and origin of unfamiliar approaches and theories we think we disagree with. This spirit of an endeavor to understand other ways of doing things challenges readers to broaden their explanatory horizons, reassess preconceived notions of truth in international relations, and recall some of the recent scientific discoveries in conflict management worldwide. In return for taking part in this contemplative exercise and following such a difficult interdisciplinary path, we are offered more diverse options, more pluralized paths to self-discovery, improved modes of recollection, and a reacquaintance with various critical and equally contemplative modes of analysis that shed light on the inherent pluralism and diversity of our discipline.
This publication contributes to the tremendous conceptual adventure that began with the publication of Dealing with Regional Conflicts of Global Importance (2024) and Analyzing Global Responses to Contemporary Regional Conflicts (2024) and invites us on a journey that promises a more holistic application of ontological diversity within our discipline and a new way of compartmentalizing the existing theories, approaches, and paradigms that will likely transform our discipline into a more refined product that might appeal to younger researchers, who will be equipped with essential analytical tools needed to navigate the complexities of today’s turbulent world in which autocracies forcefully act in a hawkish, unpredictable manner that threatens the local and regional architecture of power. At the same time, more democratic regimes surrender to tribalism, democratic backsliding, and selfish isolationism.
I am truly humbled and honored by the enthusiasm of all the scholars who contributed their work to this collection. Collaborating with these successful individuals was a highlight of 2024 for me. Thanks to their dedication to this project, I have learned a great deal about different ways of approaching regional conflicts of global importance. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed to the final version of this publication, either directly or indirectly. This project would never have materialized without the support of the professionals associated with In Statu Nascendi Think Tank, which is of the people, by the people, and for the people. I received a great deal of help from a small army of individuals, such as Prof. Philip Gamaghelyan, who supported this project from the beginning. I am deeply grateful to all the participants on this journey of discovery: all the authors, contributors, reviewers, and the dedicated and highly supportive team of IGI Global Publishers, who have made this book possible. My special thanks go to Mikaela Felty, Nina Eddinger, Jocelynn Hessler, Melissa Wagner, Whitney Walmer, and everyone else responsible for printing and promoting this publication, who have helped us to reach out to our readers.
My last thank you is reserved for Matthew Gill (tortuga78@yahoo.com) for his exceptional support with innumerable proofreading jobs over the last eight years. Thank you for his professionalism, honest opinions, and, most importantly, the speed with which he usually responds.
Finally, thank you for purchasing this edition. I hope that you enjoy it!
Piotr Pietrzak, Ph.D.
Co-Founder of In Statu Nascendi – Think Tank -a non-partisan, independent, and highly diversified network of scholars organized to study a contemporary conflict and political philosophy that provides advice and ideas on specific issues related to geoeconomic, political, and socioeconomic problems.
Temporary Lecturer at Vistula University, Warsaw, Poland.
Temporary Lecturer at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Sofia & Warsaw, October 30, 2024.
Pietrzak, P. (Ed.). (2025). Exploring the Implications of Local and Regional Conflicts. IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-2877-4.
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