Peace: The word “peace” evokes complex, sometimes contradictory, interpretations and
reactions. For some, peace means the absence of conflict. For others it means the end of
violence or the formal cessation of hostilities; for still others, the return to resolving conflict
by political means. Some define peace as the attainment of justice and social stability;
for others it is economic well-being and basic freedom. Peacemaking can be a dynamic
process of ending conflict through negotiation or mediation. Peace is often unstable, as
sources of conflict are seldom completely resolved or eliminated. Since conflict is inherent
in the human condition, the striving for peace is particularly strong in times of violent
conflict. That said, a willingness to accommodate perpetrators of violence without resolving
the sources of conflict—sometimes called “peace at any price”—may lead to greater
conflict later.