ABSTRACT
The effects of war limit the effectiveness of institutional aspects of peace-building and reconstruction. Organisations and individuals doing empirical research in PM in war-torn societies should aim to capture information on processes, structures and systems for enhancement of the society’s future. The most important challenge for PM researchers is how to conduct field research in such complex, unsettled settings. This chapter highlights the importance of increased awareness of complexities in war-torn civil societies, which can be used to enhance experience and maximise potential with aid agencies, multilateral institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and identifies the experience of the practical challenges of conducting research on how reconstruction projects are planned and implemented. The chapter concludes with implications to assist researchers and academics in a better understanding and to be able to respond to the complex challenges of reconstruction and development activities between local, national and external actors in post-conflict situations.
