Rethinking the role of track two diplomacy in conflict resolution: the democratic progress institute’s Turkey programme

Abstract

The article examines the Democratic Progress Institute’s (DPI) Turkey program as a Track Two comparative consultation initiative applied in the case of Turkey’s peace process regarding the Kurdish conflict, commonly known as the ‘resolution/peace process’ (2012–2015). Based on interviews with high- and middle-level actors participating in events organized by the DPI, the article investigates the extent the initiative reached its purposes of building capacities for peace through the dissemination of comparative insights on peacemaking and generating a joint understanding between the conflict representatives. While Turkish and Kurdish participants adopted comparative insights they gained from the DPI study trips and workshops, by learning lessons related to the negotiation process and practical matters, they partially sought to ‘fit’ those insights into their own perspectives and prior beliefs. The findings point to motivated reasoning and confirmation bias for issues that remained controversial throughout the public peace process in Turkey, mainly Disarmament-Demobilization-Reintegration (DDR) and transitional justice.