Conflict analysis, management and transformation: deconstructing Yemen's civil war

Reiter

Conflict analysis, management and transformation: Deconstructing Yemen's Civil War

An Interactive eLearning Platform

Few intrastate conflicts are debated as heatedly as the Yemeni conflict. Since 2014, the conflict has transformed into a multi-sided civil war with geopolitical relevance that continues to harm civilians, drive displacement in the region, and restrict humanitarian access. However, little is known about the root causes, drivers and cleavages of this conflict. Often depicted as yet another arena in the proxy war between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shia Iran, the Yemeni conflict has much more to do with a domestic struggle for power rather than sectarian – and supposedly archaic – rivalries.

This eLearning platform shall provide a multiscalar overview over the main causes, drivers and cleavages in the Yemeni civil war. It introduces the main actors and their interests, discusses rural-urban divides, gender, North-South tensions, the role of religion as well as questions of power and representation. Two modules are also dedicated to mediation initiatives as well as the role of transitional justice and reconciliation.
The overall objective of this platform is not to talk 'about' Yemen, but to talk 'with' Yemen - it includes the voices of Yemeni experts and citizens and pursues a context-sensitive approach to conflict analysis.

Introduction

This module introduces the eLearning platform and provides a brief overview over the Yemeni conflict. It also explains how to navigate this platform and introduces the collaborative character of the seminar.

Theories and Concepts

This module provides an overview over different theories of conflict analysis and conflict management. Moreover, it offers hands-on advice on how to find a good theory for your analysis.

Yemen: Actors and Dynamics

This module provides an overview of the local, regional and international actors and dynamics of the conflict in Yemen.

Conflict drivers:
The rural-urban divide

What are the differences between living in a large city and living in a rural area regarding the conflict? This module explores and analyses the rural-urban divide as one of the main cleavages and conflict drivers in Yemen.

Conflict drivers:
Socio-economic factors

This modules provides an overview over the socio-economic situation in Yemen and its imapct on the current conflict. We have a look at to which extent the socio-economic situation caused the Yemeni conflict.

Conflict drivers:
Religion

Should the conflict in Yemen be understood as a Sunni-Shia proxy war? This module gives insights into the strengths and limits of religion as a conflict driver

Conflict drivers:
Power and representation

What role do aspects of power and representation play in the Yemeni conflict? What are the root causes, core problems and effects of the issues of power and representation in the Yemeni context?
You will find out in this module!

Conflict drivers:
Gender

The impact of the conflict on the gender binary concerning health, education, economics and political decision making processes are examined and compared in this module.

Conflict drivers: North-South divide

What is the Southern Movement? And why has a new North-South divide emerged after Yemen's unification in 1990? To what extent is this divide a conflict driver in today's civil war? This module provides answers to these questions - and many more.

Conflict mediation

Mediation can be described as a means to end armed conflicts. Its key signature is the involvement of a third party in a voluntary and pacific process that brings together members of a conflict.

Transitional Justice

Transitional justice and reconciliation are fundamental concepts to the processes of regime change, state-building and peace-building. They are interrelated yet are not to be confused. This module thoroughly explains these concepts and demonstrates their importance, in specific to the Yemeni war.