Gestures of Conciliation examines the ideas, assumptions and theories that underpin how leaders of parties in intractable conflicts begin and sustain a process of peacemaking by offering to their adversaries 'olive-branches' - in more modern terms symbolic gestures, concessions, tension-reducing moves or confidence-building measures. It discusses means of overcoming political and psychological barriers to accurate communication, trust-building, domestic consensus formation, and 'ripe' conditions for conciliation, suggesting practical guidelines for accommodation.

Christopher Mitchell is Drucie French-Cumbie Professor of Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University.

Acknowledgements Prologue: The Sadat Initiatives Frustration and War: 1970-1973 Suez and Jerusalem: 1974-1977 Conciliation: Concepts, Frameworks and Models Contexts for Conciliation Current Taxonomical Approaches to Conciliation The Nature of the Initiative: Characteristics and Impact Increasing Recognisability Enhancing Credibility Reducing Mistrust Obstacles to Clear Signalling Obstacles to Prompt Reacting Conciliation and Intra-Party Conflict Channels for Conciliation Hypotheses on Conciliation Epilogue: Nearing Camp David Bibliography Index