New Perspectives on Trust in International Conflicts

Abstract

This forum proposes to rethink the specific conditions and dynamics under which trust can endogenously emerge in international conflicts. Traditionally, International Relations (IR) scholars have viewed trust and conflict as opposites or antagonists, with trust being seen as essential to overcoming conflict, and conflict seen as corrosive of trust. However, this framing is of limited use when it comes to understanding the complex role of trust in an increasingly heterogeneous and conflictual international system. In this forum, the contributors discuss the extent to which trust can emerge from and be strengthened within conflict. Conflict requires high-stakes decisions with uncertain outcomes. It helps actors learn about their interests and identities, as well as those of their counterparts. Conflict also fosters social bonds through shared experiences of successfully dealing with it. This approach complements existing research that has primarily focused on how trust, whether pre-existing or exogenously generated, can contribute to conflict resolution.