How exposure to wartime violence shapes conflict resolution preferences

Felix Schulte and DoÄŸukan Cansin KarakuÅŸ
Additional contact information
Felix Schulte: 39047European Centre for Minority Issues, Germany
DoÄŸukan Cansin KarakuÅŸ: 39047European Centre for Minority Issues, Germany

Conflict Management and Peace Science, 2026, vol. 43, issue 2, 134-156

Abstract: Wartime violence profoundly shapes attitudes and political behavior, yet its impact on preferences for specific conflict resolution strategies remains underexplored. Using survey data ( n  = 1452) from Syrian refugees in a Turkish UNHCR camp, we analyze how the severity and type of violence experienced during the Syrian Civil War influence support for various conflict resolution options. Our findings support the “war-weariness†hypothesis: individuals exposed to severe, direct violence favor political solutions like ceasefires, negotiations, and elections, expected to address immediate safety needs. Our findings have significant implications for peacebuilders, highlighting the importance of considering diverse conflict experiences when designing effective peace initiatives.

Keywords: Civil war; conflict resolution; peace process; trauma; violence exposure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/07388942251334956 (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:compsc:v:43:y:2026:i:2:p:134-156

DOI: 10.1177/07388942251334956

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Conflict Management and Peace Science from Peace Science Society (International)
Bibliographic data for series maintained by SAGE Publications ().