Coming Together Over Table: The Role of Food in Georgian Conflict Resolution Practices

<p>Conflict resolution efforts seek to de-escalate conflict dynamics to bring conciliation and/or reconciliation to a conflict. One strategy to de-escalate a conflict is to use food during conflict resolution efforts. So, what specifically does consuming food and beverage do to break down conflict escalation cycles? Food-sharing brings several aspects to conflict that the literature suggests address how and why conflict escalates. This paper focuses on three prevalent aspects: how food-sharing signals vulnerability and trust building, perceived commonality, and a change in the conflict from competition to cooperation by providing new norms, changing the tone, and shifting frames. Because of the centrality of food in Georgian culture, I interviewed Georgian mediators to study their perspectives and experiences with the role of food in both traditional and contemporary Georgian conflict resolution efforts. The findings concur that food is used to shift the tone and frames of the conflict.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2021

Author dc:creator

• Wells, Raisa

Contributors dc:contributor

• Tamra Pearson d’Estrée

• Conflict de-escalation
• Conflict dynamics
• Conflict resolution
• Food-sharing
• Meal-sharing
• International Relations
• Peace and Conflict Studies
• Political Science
• Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Statement dc:rights

• <p>Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.</p>

Language dc:language

en

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/2018

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.du.edu:etd-3006