Conceptualising 'communication for peace'

The importance of considering media and communication processes generally in the study of conflict formation and escalation has been widely recognised and researched. Extrapolating from their relevance for those processes, there exists a widespread conviction that communication also bears similar potential to contribute to conflict transformation and peacebuilding. This kind of assertion, however, as of yet, rests mainly on argumentation in analogy to their role in conflict escalation processes, and therefore largely leaves implicit the what and how of such assumed constructive contributions as well as the underlying conceptualisation of peace and communication. Together, this makes for a thoroughly fragmented 'field' of research from distinct, but still largely insulated disciplines, which carries nonetheless the seeds of a more comprehensive understanding of what is here tentatively termed 'communication for peace' (C4P) that could provide cross- pollination and contribute to a more thorough engagement with what is an important and increasingly vibrant area of activities. The present article therefore seeks to examine what could be the groundwork to build a framework for C4P on, to identify the major areas of relevant research that exist, lacunae in this body of work and fruitful intersections between different disciplines.