The Russo-Chechen Conflict: Multilevel and Multimodal Transformation

Abstract

The Russo-Chechen conflict started in the early 1800s and continues today. It is one of the most intractable and long-lasting ethnopolitical conflicts in the world and is replete with violence and atrocities that have escalated and deescalated from time to time. In this paper several peace and conflict studies (PACS) theories are used to assess the conflict and link formal and informal peacemaking strategies to the Russo-Chechen conflict. It is argued that informal multilevel and multimodal diplomacy on different levels is necessary for transformation of this conflict.