Norm Nudging for Peace and Security

Peacebuilding has historically relied on “norm-nudging” approaches, which reframe choices without ruling out any options, in areas such as violence prevention, and the promotion of inclusivity, reconciliation and empowerment. The effectiveness of these approaches rests on social expectations, expectations we hold about other people’s behaviours and/or beliefs that induce us to act in unexpected ways. This session explores how social expectations influence the efficacy of norm-nudging programmes in peace and security work and ethical challenges inherent in this area of work. Panelists discuss different types of norm-nudging used in the field of peace and security, their utility, trade-offs and risks