Global Politics Vocab Quiz: Peace + Conflict

Negative peace

Absence of active violence or war
Example: The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in 2021 temporarily created negative peace.

Direct violence

Physical harm done directly to people
Example: The Syrian government's airstrikes during the Syrian Civil War.

Structural violence

Harm caused by unfair social systems
Example: The Flint water crisis disproportionately harmed low-income and Black communities.

Cultural violence

Beliefs that justify or normalize violence
Example: Anti-Rohingya hate speech in Myanmar contributing to violence after 2012.

Positive peace

Peace built on justice

Balance of power

Power spread so no state becomes too strong
Example: U.S. alliances in the Indo-Pacific to balance China's rise.

Feminist peace

Peace that includes gender equality
Example: UN Resolution 1325 implementation efforts in Afghanistan after 2010.

Destructive conflict

Conflict that worsens relationships and violence
Example: The escalation of civil war in Yemen since 2015.

Constructive conflict

Conflict that leads to positive change
Example: Nepal Protests

Strategic non-violence

Planned non-violent tactics to create change
Example: Hong Kong's 2014 Umbrella Movement.

Non-violent resistance

Refusal to cooperate without violence
Example: Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Future movement

Pacifism

Belief that all violence and war are wrong
Example: Israeli youth refusing to serve in the military

Geneva Conventions

Rules protecting civilians and soldiers in war
Example: Investigations of war crimes in Syria citing Geneva Convention violations.

Primary disputants

Main parties directly involved in a conflict
Example: Russia and Ukraine in the Russia-Ukraine War

Interstate conflict

Conflict between states
Example: India-Pakistan territorial disputes

Intrastate conflict

Civil War or internal conflict in the borders of one state
Example: The civil war in South Sudan (2013-2018).

Secondary parties to conflict

Groups supporting or influencing disputants
Example: NATO in the Ukraine war

Third parties to conflict

Outside actors who mediate or intervene
Example: Norway mediating peace talks in Colombia (2012-2016).

Violent state actors

Governments using violence
Example: Myanmar's military attacking Rohingya communities in 2017.

Collective defense

States agreeing to defend each other
Example: NATO activating collective defense planning after Russia's 2014 invasion of Crimea.

Violent non-state actors

Non-government groups using violence
Example: ISIS during its peak (2014-2017).

Non-violent state actors

Governments resolving disputes peacefully
Example: Costa Rican government's peaceful dispute resolution policies.

Non-violent non-state actors

Non-government groups using peaceful means
Example: Black Lives Matter movement (from 2013 onward).

Track I diplomacy

Official diplomacy between governments
Example: U.S.-North Korea nuclear negotiations in 2018.

Track II diplomacy

Unofficial dialogue by NGOs/experts
Example: NGO-supported dialogue sessions in Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts after 2007.

Non-state conflict

Conflict between non-state groups
Example: Mexican drug war

Extrastate conflict

Conflict between a state and non-state actor
Example: U.S. operations against al-Qaeda

Identity conflict

Conflict based on ethnicity or religion
Example: Rohingya persecution in Myanmar (2012-present).

Interest-based conflict

Conflict over resources or power
Example: South China Sea disputes over maritime resources.

Human needs theory of conflict

Conflict arises when basic needs aren't met
Example: Arab Spring uprisings triggered by unmet economic and political needs.

Ideological conflict

Conflict over political or belief systems
Example: Taliban vs. Afghan government over political ideology (2007-2021).

'Just War' theory

Rules for when war is morally justified
Example: Debates around NATO's 2011 intervention in Libya.

Symmetric conflict

Conflict between similar military powers
Example: Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020 had relatively comparable forces.

Asymmetric conflict

Conflict between unequal powers
Example: U.S. counterinsurgency operations against the Taliban.

Guerrilla warfare

Small

Counterinsurgency

Coin. Actions to defeat insurgents & win civilians
Example: U.S. counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan (2009-2014).

Terrorism

Violence targeting civilians for political goals
Example: Boston Marathon bombings

Cyber conflict

Digital attacks against another actor
Example: Alleged Russian cyberattacks on U.S. elections in 2016.

Non-violent conflict

Conflict without physical violence
Example: 2019 Hong Kong mass protests.

Peacemaking

Negotiations to stop conflict
Example: 2016 Colombian peace agreement between the government and FARC.

Mediation

Conflict resolution process with a neutral actor helping reach agreement
Example: UN mediation efforts in Syria

Peace treaties

Formal agreements ending conflict
Example: The 2018 peace treaty between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Sanctions

Penalties to pressure behavior change
Example: International sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.

Embargoes

Bans on trade with a country
Example: EU arms embargo on Myanmar after 2018.

Election observers

Monitors who ensure election fairness
Example: EU observers monitoring Kenya's 2017 elections.

Peacekeeping

International forces maintaining peace
Example: UN peacekeepers in Mali (MINUSMA

Genocide

Intentional destruction of a group
Example: The 2014-2017 persecution of Yazidis by ISIS is widely recognized as genocide.

Peacebuilding

Long-term work to create stable peace
Example: Post-genocide reconstruction and reconciliation in Rwanda.

Restorative justice

Repairing harm through dialogue/accountability
Example: Community reconciliation meetings in post-conflict Colombia.

Truth & reconciliation commissions

Bodies exposing past abuses for healing
Example: Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission on residential schools (completed 2015).