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Position of the Study among related fields

So far, since development and conflict has been studied separately and few have approached them in a comprehensive way, study results have been quite limited. But as the need to study them is being pointed out here and from abroad, studies particular to the development donor is gradually proceeding. One such study has been carried out. In a global discussion, a report from the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has referred to the role of development in preventing conflict.

In Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) launched a research project called “Peace building: Towards Ensuring Human Security” on October 1999, to examine the role of development assistance in achieving peace and the directions such support should take. This is an innovative and noteworthy project that actively links development and peace building. There are also many studies based on the concept of human security that comprehensively view development and peace building. One example is a research project called “Human Security and NGOs”, conducted by a research group led by Kimihide Mushyanokoji. Some of the studies related to this issue are based on a concept of preventive diplomacy. Research projects such as “Regional Conflicts and Preventive Diplomacy in Africa” by Makoto Katsumata and “Preventive Diplomacy” by Yozo Yokota and others fall into this category. The Peace Building Study group addresses the issue of development and peace building directly, regarding the accumulation of all those studies, but it differs from them in taking notice of the bilateral character of development. On the other hand, outside Japan, studies of development and conflict have been carried out in more detail than those in Japan. This probably reflects the method of research which values interdiscipline and practical workability. As is indicated in the reports “Human Development Report” from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and “Post-Conflict Reconstruction” from the World Bank, international institutions are showing a willingness to practically address the problems. It can be said that practical needs in the actual sites are the creators of the studies abroad as well. Although, the creation of a new research style-- resolving practical issues by embracing the scholarly advances that already been made --will have to wait for future development.

From all the points mentioned above, our study is taking an approach that may contribute to the world at the global level.