How Many Turns Make a Revolution? Whither the ‘Dialogue of the Deaf’ Between Peacebuilding Scholars and Practitioners

Abstract

The past two decades have witnessed myriad ‘turns’ in peacebuilding scholarship. This article explores these ‘turns’ and questions their influence on peacebuilding practice–whether intended or not. It examines the features of academia under late capitalism that contribute to this, asks if these shifts are comprehensible to the agents of peacebuilding and whether implementers are willing and/or able to listen anyway. It posits that scholars and practitioners find themselves in a ‘dialogue of the deaf’ arguing that unless this is transformed then conflict-affected societies will see little benefit from the clever pirouettes occurring in the comfort of the ivory tower.