“Technology can create a safe space for dialogue”

Mikaeli Langinvainio. Photos: Hanna Partanen

According to Mikaeli Langinvainio, the CEO of Inforglobe, peacetech applications can help for example by creating roadmaps or by helping to find a common ground in peace negotiations.

Peace technology is a fragmented field that can be looked at from diverse points of view. In Finland, peace technology has been discussed more actively for the last five years. However, funding models and meeting points for different stakeholders are still being structured.'

However, a lot has happened already and Mikaeli Langinvainio, if anyone, has been at the heart of the Finnish peace technology debate. The CEO and co-founder of the software company Inforglobe develops tools that improve dialogue between people.

—We have already used a software product called Inclus in several peace mediation processes with the CMI, says Langinvainio.

According to Langinvainio, feedback from the conflict parties is an important and, in fact, the only significant element in developing technology for conflict transformation purposes. Inclus has received good feedback.

—The parties have said that although they know what the main issues are or what the keys are to resolve them, it has been difficult to find common ground on these issues.

The software has helped to bring the parties to a common process where they have been able to find shared priorities and goals.

—Social tension strains cognitive and social abilities and makes direct encounter awkward and unconstructive. When the tension can be dissipated, one moves towards psychological safety, Langinvainio describes.

Technology can thus be used to create platforms where conflict parties can find a tension-free state to face each other’s perspectives.

So what can peace technology do in addition to creating a safe spaces?

Langinvainio talks about peacetech interventions that focus on the three different phases of conflict: conflict prevention, mediation and conflict transformation, and peace-keeping.

—It is essential to identify problems and goals in a conflict situation and then to explore how technology can help to resolve them.

Data could be used more efficiently

Langinvainio gives a breath-taking list of peace building processes that could be enhanced with technology-based tools.

—There is data, for example search engine information or social media, which could be used to analyse people's thinking or the development of situations. These can be used to create models to anticipate future development. Such programmes have already been done, but there is definitely room for new ways of dealing with the data.

Second, technology can help parties structure and communicate their own position. In addition, technology helps to diversify dialogue, involve different actors, or help to clarify language and interpretation problems and perspectives.

—Technology can be used to create roadmaps and help find common ground that is either equally bad or good for all the conflict parties.

“It is essential to identify problems and goals in a conflict situation and then to explore how technology can help to resolve them.”

Technology has a lot of benefits, but its development process requires taking strong responsibility and identifying problems. Risk analysis must always be carried out for technologies, and Langinvainio emphasises that the conflict parties cannot be considered as objects of testing.

What is important, is to recognise that the ownership of the problems and also the ways to resolve them lays with the conflict parties. Respect for the people and the process will already guide the work on the right path.

—The conflict parties themselves will tell you if something is not working. Planning must be done with the participants from the beginning and those involved must own the technology, its use and the results.

So, what about funding?

—Yes, there is a market, both supply and demand, but these often do not meet.

Technology has solutions for peace mediation, but market orientation limits the development, and not enough money is moving in the field. Big companies do not set out to develop products for the needs of peace. Instead, they may give corporate social responsibility money to organisations, so that the organisations would do what they are doing anyway.

—In addition, the conflict parties tend to be poor and one party cannot pay more for the tools used than the other.

“Respect for the people and the process will already guide the work on the right path.”

Langinvainio brings up the idea of micro- and macro-level conflicts - in this case, for example, conflicts inside companies versus state-level problems.

—The technology can be developed at the micro level for companies and when it becomes sustainable, it can also be offered to where it is most needed. The mechanics are the same.

The funding would therefore come indirectly from companies.

On the other hand, completely new financing mechanisms could be created for peace technology.

All in all, a new type of community is needed around peacetech, that would not rely on state power, but on people working together and exchanging their knowledge.

This idea is supported by the essence of technology: it is ultimately meant to be independent and not be left in the hands of its creators. Technology is deployed and modified as needed outside of its original development environment.

—Technology can create impact because of its scalability, and thus it can be widely used also outside its original purpose. Technology transforms into different shapes in different situations.

Finally, who knows what else will be invented to balance peace processes, engage people, or steer the conversation to a safe space. In any case, we are not close to a situation where too much peace technology is developed.

Mikaeli Langinvainio has worked in the field of peace mediation for a long time. In 2016 he, together with Juha Törmänen, started the company Inforglobe Ltd, to which they transferred from Crisis Management Initiative (CMI). Inforglobe provides participatory decision-making software both to companies and more broadly to conflict transformation processes. For more information, visit www.inclus.com. In addition to technology development, Langinvainio has actively participated in peace technology discussions in various seminars and panels.

Peace Invaders is a Finnish NGO working to harness the power of technology and media for conflict transformation.

We want peace. We mean business.

When connection is broken, peacetech can help — “Technology can create a safe space for dialogue”

According to Mikaeli Langinvainio, the CEO of Inforglobe, peacetech applications can help for example by creating roadmaps or by helping to find a common ground in peace negotiations.

Data could be used more efficiently

So, what about funding?

Peace Invaders blogging crew

When connection is broken, peacetech can help — “Technology can create a safe space for dialogue”

﻿According to Mikaeli Langinvainio, the CEO of Inforglobe, peacetech applications can help for example by creating roadmaps or by helping to find a common ground in peace negotiations.

Data could be used more efficiently

So, what about funding?

Peace Invaders blogging crew

According to Mikaeli Langinvainio, the CEO of Inforglobe, peacetech applications can help for example by creating roadmaps or by helping to find a common ground in peace negotiations.