Environmental Peacebuilding Research and Practice in Governance “Frontiers”

Stacy D. VanDeveer, University of Massachusetts Boston (United States)

As part of a 3-year funded research project, we conducted an assessment of how and why climate change and biodiversity governance in “Frontier” spaces is conceptualized and operationalized. This systematic literature review draws on over 1500 peer reviewed research articles, focusing on a five-category typology of conceptualizations of “frontiers” in global and comparative governance research related to environmental, sustainability and natural resources governance. The proposed paper re-examines the database of 1500 articles and the 5 categories for all content related to conflict resolution, peacebuilding and peacemaking, peace agreements or peace initiatives (etc.). Spaces characterized as “frontiers” in such research frequently include at least one of several types of violence. The proposed paper assesses the level of interest in such scholarship in conflict resolutions and peacemaking activities, and explores patterns in the relationships between conceptualization of frontiers, types of violence, and peacemaking. Preliminary assessment indicates that extractivist and conversation activities are by far the most common topical areas for research making these linkages.