Jessop, Maria, Diana Aljets, and Betsie Chacko. 2008. "The Ripe Moment for Civil Society." International Negotiation 13, no. 1: 93-109.

This article explores whether and how civil society engagement in a peace process can 'ripen' the conditions and facilitate the success of a peace process. The activities and methods of the Inter-religious Council of Sierra Leone are examined for their impact on each stage of the peace process with a view to shedding light on how civil society can help create the ripe conditions for formal peace negotiations, be an effective participant in negotiations, as well as improve the sustainability of a peace agreement.

Abu-Nimer, Mohammed, and S. Ayse Kadayifci-Orellana. 2008. "Muslim Peace-Building Actors in Africa and the Balkan Context: Challenges and Needs." Peace & Change 33, no. 4: 549-581

Religion and conflict resolution in general, and Islam in particular, have become a main area of research since the September 11 attacks. This article argues that, to develop effective conflict resolution models and practices for sustainable peace in the Muslim world, it is not only necessary to understand how religious and cultural traditions can contribute to peace, but also to work together with and incorporate local peace-building actors, as their legitimacy and knowledge can contribute to the effectiveness of peace-building initiatives. Although there is a growing literature exploring Islamic principles of peace and conflict resolution, research analyzing how these principles are put to use by Muslim actors to resolve their conflicts is lagging behind. This gives the impression that there are no actors working toward peace in these communities. The authors argue to the contrary, which is based on an analysis of data collected from the Balkans and the Great Lakes region and includes a combination of interviews and surveys submitted by more than fifty Muslim peace actors that describe their efforts and perception of Islamic peace. This essay analyzes the unique characteristics of Muslim peace-building actors, who are doing critical work under extremely difficult conditions, and evaluates their strengths and weaknesses to inform the development of effective conflict resolution and peace-building models in these regions.

Fast, Larissa A., Reina C. Neufeldt, and Lisa Schirch. 2002. "Toward Ethically Grounded Conflict Interventions: Reevaluating Challenges in the 21st Century." International Negotiation 7, no. 2: 185-207.

This article explores the dimensions of ethics and accountability among conflict interveners, proposing an ethical framework that builds upon human rights and moral development. The framework consists of three ethical principles: inherent worth and dignity of individuals; community-defined common good; and authentic relationships. To apply these principles, the authors identify two embedded circles of accountability, which derive from the central parties in an intervention: the intervener and the participant. Dividing these groups into "sending'' and "receiving'' communities, this article reviews dimensions of accountability within the process of intervention that are related to each of the ethical principles. In operationalizing these principles, the authors suggest possible ethical responses to the challenges of intervention.