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Complexity in Peace Negotiations: Insights from Role-Play Designers and Participants

Julián Arévalo

International Negotiation: a journal of theory and practice2025https://doi.org/10.1163/15718069-bja10133article
AJG 1ABDC A
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0.50

Abstract

In recent years, the study of peace negotiations has incorporated tools developed for analyzing complex systems. Role-plays have proven valuable for teaching and learning about social systems with many variables interacting simultaneously, allowing participants to become familiar with multiple positions, perspectives, and interaction dynamics. Based on 39 interviews with peace negotiation role-play designers, trainers, and participants, this paper explores how negotiation complexity is introduced, experienced, and managed in these simulated scenarios. The paper makes two main contributions. The first is to show that peace negotiation role-plays provide a space where trainers can introduce elements of complexity to allow participants to experience how these scenarios unfold. They can do this in a controlled way, by focusing on the main drivers of negotiation complexity or by allowing the development of elements that are beyond their control and that emerge organically from the dynamics of interaction between participants. The second contribution is a set of reflections from peace negotiation role-plays that may be worth considering when dealing with the complexity of real-life negotiations: on negotiation planning, on negotiation tactics and micro-skills, and on negotiation strategy. This allows for a better understanding of the complexity of social systems and for the use of role-plays as an experiential activity not only in the teaching, but also in the study of complexity, where a key aim is to work across disciplines and share insights.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1163/15718069-bja10133

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@article{julián2025,
  title        = {{Complexity in Peace Negotiations: Insights from Role-Play Designers and Participants}},
  author       = {Julián Arévalo},
  journal      = {International Negotiation: a journal of theory and practice},
  year         = {2025},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1163/15718069-bja10133},
}

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

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