War, Peace, and Many Shades in Between: Asia in the New Millennium

Abstract

The cradle of world’s oldest civilizations and major religions, Asia has seen and is still experiencing all variations and consequences of armed violence2—from the devastation of international and civil wars, to brutal repressions by militarized regimes; from long-lasting insurgencies and separatist struggles, to explosions of religious and communal violence and terrorism. Its extreme diversity and rich dynamics of economic and political development make Asia a perfect setting to explore the multiple pathways that connect economic development to intergroup relations. This chapter sets the stage for this inquiry. It begins with a brief summary of the current status, major trends, and evolving nature of intergroup violence in the region. We also identify major challenges for conflict-sensitive development and some new threats that may undermine human security in the region. We conclude the chapter by introducing the case studies selected for this volume and their major findings. The next chapter presents an assessment of the variety and evolution of development strategies as they were designed and implemented within different countries.