Peace Stud., Volume 1, Issue 2 (June 2026) – 2 articles

This article examines the Colombo Conference Proposals of December 1962 as an instance of non-aligned mediation in the aftermath of the India–China border war. Based on a close reading of the Proposals and related diplomatic materials, it argues that the initiative did not seek to resolve the dispute but to structure restraint through ceasefire consolidation, disengagement, and demilitarized arrangements. In doing so, it conceptualized peace as a form of procedural governance—a political ceiling on escalation rather than a comprehensive settlement. Situating the case within existing scholarship on mediation, failed peace processes, and middle-power diplomacy, this article shows how non-aligned states contributed to conflict management through appeal, regional legitimacy, and sovereign consent. The Colombo episode illustrates both the possibilities and limits of such mediation: it could shape conduct and contain escalation, but it remained dependent on voluntary compliance and shared interpretation. Full article

Mohandas K. Gandhi (popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi) has primarily been recognized for his work in developing the theory and practice of nonviolence (ahimsa) for the purpose of building a culture of sustainable peace. Although Gandhi’s writings do not explicitly engage such categories as negative and positive peace, peace and international relations, or pacifism and nonviolence, scholars in peace studies have nonetheless assessed his contributions to the evolution of the field. This article advances the study of peace by emphasizing the dynamic nature of nonviolence (ahimsa), which is inextricably connected to Gandhi’s vision of sarvodaya (uplift of all). It further argues that his approach to peacebuilding, grounded in the upholding of pluralism across civic life, offers a conceptual framework for disrupting hegemonic monolithic systems. Gandhi lived in a time when the concept of pluralism had not gained currency; however, his vision, rooted in the values of diversity and tolerance, can appropriately be understood under the now widely accepted concept of pluralism. Gandhi thus uniquely connected nonviolence, peace, pluralism, and sarvodaya. For him, peaceful co-existence mandates attention to diversity—an approach that can enrich contemporary conversations in a divided political, social, and religious landscape. As a political leader and social reformer, he promoted indigenous languages, diverse village industries, local economies, and multi-faith religious education. In his later life, he also advocated for inter-caste and interreligious marriages in order to mitigate communal tensions. Such attention to diversity offers a promising path toward realizing the goal of sustainable peace and sarvodaya in a contemporary landscape increasingly prone to monolithic systems. Sarvodaya inherently requires a commitment to pluralistic, dialogical, dialectical, and nonviolent engagement in all spheres of life. By emphasizing shared humanity and committing to diversity, Gandhi offers a social philosophy of respect for all life as well as uplift of all trades, languages, and belief systems grounded in the vision of welfare of all. His practical methods of engaging diverse actors, along with his radical efforts to disrupt autocratic, authoritative, and centralized systems, affirm that the objectives of sarvodaya and sustainable peace can be realized only through a radical pluralism. Full article