Fisas, Vicenç. Negociar los conflictos armados de baja intensidad (Negotiating Low-Intensity Armed Conflicts). Editorial Catarata and the Institut Català Internacional per la Pau (ICIP), 2026.
Low-intensity armed conflicts are those that result in fewer than 500 deaths in a year. Although they receive less media attention than major wars such as those in Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan or Iran, they have a profound impact on civilian populations, who remain the primary victims of armed violence.
In this book, Vicenç Fisas examines the lower-intensity armed conflicts of the 21st century that are linked to struggles for state political power or demands for territorial self-government. The author explores the specific characteristics of their negotiation processes and the opportunities they offer for advancing peace.
The book is based on the premise that waiting for the conditions for negotiation to “mature” spontaneously often leads to an unnecessary prolongation of human suffering. Against this logic, Fisas argues for the active creation of conditions conducive to dialogue through incentives, concrete proposals, social and international pressure, confidence-building measures, and strategies aimed at reducing the perceived costs of negotiation.
Drawing on extensive experience and a rigorous analysis of peace processes around the world, the book demonstrates that the maturity required for negotiation is not a condition that emerges on its own, but rather a reality that must be built through determination, creativity and perseverance.