Envisioning Peace was a sociological research project based on interviews with ordinary people in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Nagorny Karabakh. It aimed to discover grassroots insights that would help to:
- identify possible alternatives to war and potential new approaches to peacebuilding;
- produce fresh analysis on ways of transforming the conflict, proposed by the societies themselves; and
- highlight the human cost of conflict.
Developing the methodology
We established a group of ten regional experts to help us develop the research methodology for the study. This was based on qualitative research using an extensive questionnaire and in-depth, semi-structured interviews. We planned to interview representatives from different social groups within the three societies: a key factor in the project was hearing the opinions of ordinary people.
The focus was on the human cost of conflict and peace, based on interviewees’ personal experience. The questionnaire also asked about how their lives might have been different without the war, and what they as individuals could do for peace. The aim of this approach was to open up new perspectives and, by assessing individual opinions, explore the potential in society as a whole to work for peace.
We established a research group of young people from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorny Karabakh, and trained them in interview and research techniques. Against the odds – because prevailing attitudes made this challenging – we were able to engage new, younger people (mostly in their mid-20s) with a view to developing their interest in and capacity for peacebuilding work.
Interviews and analysis
Our 11 researchers carried out interviews in Azerbaijan, including among internally displaced people, Armenia, as well as Nagorny Karabakh, aiming to reach a wide range of communities, locations and social groups. These took place between June and November 2017.
This was not always easy as there was a deep suspicion of research in some communities, particularly in rural areas, and many people were not willing to be interviewed. However, in total, our researchers conducted 110 interviews in 42 locations and gathered a huge amount of information, some of it very emotional.
Our regional experts provided written analysis of the interviews from their own societies. We then synthesised the findings to produce a draft report in April 2018, to be disseminated further. This process included public roundtable discussions in the region, as well as in London and Vienna.
The study generated important insights into questions of identity, societal roles, myths and propaganda, and views about the prospects for peace. These have fed into a series of recommendations for peace negotiators and policymakers, including the need for both internal and cross-divide dialogue.
Although the results of this study confirm some widespread assumptions about the conflict, they also challenge stereotypes about the ways in which the conflict is perceived by people living in conflict-affected communities.
Popularisation of the report
The researchers were given the opportunity to do small projects (discussions, small films, photography projects) based around the findings of the research. As well as this, local partners organised discussions in the capitals and regional centres to discuss the findings of the research with local populations. We also created short videos to summarise the findings (in English) for a more international audience.
