The Herbert C. Kelman Institute for Interactive Conflict Transformation (HKI) is an independent non-partisan, nongovernmental organisation registered in Austria. The Institute is engaged in civil society conflict transformation and peacebuilding in international and intra-societal conflicts. The objectives are to foster peace trough violence prevention, peace mediation and historic reconciliation.

The HKI acknowledges the need to transform conflicts:

• at all levels (micro-, meso-, macro- level)
• during all phases (before, during and after violence)
• and at all degrees of escalation with manifold methods (actor-oriented, structure-oriented and culture-oriented methods)

The Institute is applying an integrative approach. It emphasises the interdependence of conflict transformation, peacebuilding, reconciliation, empowerment for social change and intercultural dialogue. It supports the involvement and strengthening of women’s role in conflict transformation in all its activities.

The approach is based on trans-disciplinary research, drawing insight from international conflict and peace research, critical systems theory, cultural studies, political psychology and group psychotherapy. The constant development and refinement of this integrative theory and praxis is based on dialogue and cooperation with internationally renowned institutions, university centres, networks, theoreticians, practitioners and activists.