Oliver Ramsbotham, Tom Woodhouse and Hugh Miall revisit to greater degree the topics of conflict resolution, conflict prevention and post-conflict peacebuilding in this Second Edition of Contemporary Conflict Resolution, taking into account challenged posed by the September 11, 2001 attacks. While clearly defining the semantics of terms used within the conflict-resolution tradition, a case is made for the inclusion of conflict resolution in the negotiation of democratic norms and just and equitable systems of governance. The authors argue that peace and conflict research is part of an emancipatory discourse and vital to the defining contribution to emerging norms of democracy, and as such, contrary to the radical agendas of critical theorists, capable of serving a truly emancipatory purpose.