Conflicts of Vision: Visions of Conflict

Abstract

The preceding sixteen chapters have opened up a lot of perspectives and introduced a number of elements necessary to a general analysis of European security. Some of these will now be integrated into a common framework. This chapter will also try to sketch some guidelines for future research; it will be argued that an approach based on national analyses is necessary, but it will also be suggested that the next phase must necessarily involve a more consistent development and employment of analytical concepts and theories. This is the more necessary if the aim is a perspective which permits the transformation of the East-West conflict into a security community or non-violent conflict culture — that is, a community where war is no longer a possibility but conflict is continued in a constructive manner. The direction of thinking in the individual studies will be noted. Potential for common terminology will be evaluated, with the aim of furthering the next step in the analytical process. This final chapter also contains a brief presentation of some of the essential ideas of the Copenhagen project ‘Non-military Aspects of European Security’.