The Department of Anthropology, University College London (UCL)
and the Organization for Intra-Cultural Development (OICD)
UCL Anthropology, 14 Taviton Street, London, WC1H 0BW (Rooms TBA)
9TH-10TH NOVEMBER 2015
ENGAGING CONFLICT & PEACE THROUGH IDENTITY:
AN ACADEMIC-PRACTITIONER COLLABORATIVE WORKSHOP
The Organization for Intra-Cultural Development (OICD) estimates that over 60 per cent of
all of the approximately 150* causes of violent conflict (*as identified by the United
Nations Institute for Training and Research--UNITAR) are rooted in “divisions of identity”.
It is estimated that a majority of the remaining 40 per cent of these causes are indirectly
affected by identity factors or will develop to encompass identity dynamics.
Despite wide-ranging evidence that identity is a powerful root cause of strife, there is
currently no commonly accepted process through which peace builders can advance in
order to: (1) gain a full understanding of the way in which identities are operating and
being manipulated; (2) utilize an understanding of identity dynamics in order to build
effective peacebuilding strategies, and; (3) systematically apply identity-based strategy to
real-world interventions or programming.
With a specific focus on UK based violent extremism, this workshop will bring together
leading academics, practitioners and also representatives from conflict transformation
NGOs to examine the role of identity in the promotion of conflict and/or the promotion of
peace.
MONDAY 9th NOVEMBER, 14 Taviton Street, London, WC1H 0BW
9.30am Tea/Coffee
9.45am Welcome and introduction to the workshop, Ruth Mandel (UCL) & Bruce White (OICD/UCL)
Session 1: Academic Perspectives on Conflict Transformation, CVE and the Promotion of Social
Cohesion through Identity

10.00am The Role of Identity and Culture in Conflict Transformation and the Importance of
Identity Factors in CVE, Dr. Bruce White, UCL and Dr. John McCoy, University of Alberta
11.00am Coffee break

11.15am Religion within the Context of Conflict or Peace Producing Identity Dynamics Dr.
Sara Silvestri (University of Cambridge and City University London)

12.00pm The Role of Identity in the Radicalisation of Extremists
Dr. Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens, International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR)
1.00pm Lunch
Session 2: Practitioner Perspectives on Conflict Transformation, CVE and the Promotion of
Social Cohesion through Identity

1.45pm Phil Vernon, Director of Programmes and acting CEO at International Alert

2.30pm Haras Rafiq, Managing Director at the Quilliam Foundation
3.15 pm Coffee break

3.30pm Speaker from the Tony Blair Faith Foundation.
4.15pm Sessions End

4.30pm Registration and brief introduction to Day-two Simulation Prof. Bruce White
TUESDAY 10th NOVEMBER, 14 Taviton Street, London, WC1H 0BW
Closed session interactive practicum focused on the context of extremism and radicalization
in the UK and beyond. Materials for the practicum will be provided to the participants at the
end of Day One. The materials will contain short extracts from ethnographic and other
qualitative studies. Participants are kindly asked to familiarize themselves with these
materials prior to the first session of Day Two.
Facilitators are Wayne Jordash QC and Prof. Bruce White, others TBA.
9.45am Promoting peace and conflict through identity: An Introduction to the OICD’s
EMIC (Engagement Methodology for Identity in Conflict) process Bruce White
10.15am Session 1: Extracting relevant identity-factors from research data

Introduction to the practicum and team creation. Practicum tasks aim to combine
academic and practitioner perspectives to best extract identity from research data.

Teams will create “Intra-Cultural Maps” that will identify relevant historical
narratives, symbols and images in use within the population.
12.00pm Lunch
12.30pm Session 2: Analysis and Strategy Building
 Teams will interpret and analyze their maps, using selected cultural symbols and
narratives to develop strategies for countering violent extremism.
2pm Coffee break
2.15pm Session 3: Intervention and Evaluation
 Teams will design intervention programs for application within the target
population, and propose a testing and evaluation process for these proposals.
3.45pm Coffee break
4.00pm OPTIONAL Reflections and discussion on the Intra-Cultural Development
methodology (the EMIC Process).