The temporal term ‘post-conflict’ is used in peace and conflict studies and international development discourses to mark the end of civil wars or the conclusion of peace negotiations. This reference hides sources of persistent violence, and quickly becomes a misnomer in cases of conflict relapse. Postconflict can be reimagined as a qualitative condition that accounts for the lasting impact of war and other conflicts, as a process, and as an aspirational goal; this is possible through decolonial perspectives that underscore social justice as the basis for sustainable, durable peace.
