In the first theoretical part, this essay presents a typology on conflict resolution processes, starting from Galtung’s analytic models. Then, it aims at clarifying the meaning of the concept of world order as a government capability that has to be linked to some fixed values (the unity of measure), that in post/’89 four power arenas of international relations are: (military) peace, (political) democracy, (economic) market and (cultural) national self/determination. In fact, as current major powers usually prefer pluri/national states, current world politics is characterized by a “near” order. In the second (empirical) part of the essay, nearly 90 armed conflicts of the post-1989 periods are presented in 5 chapters: conflicts in the West, in Eastern Europe, in Africa, in the Middle East, in Asia. In the conclusions, it is emphasized that the level of violence has been reduced after the 90s, but many conflicts are currently frozen or characterized by unstable resolution process: either asymmetrical (dominion or incapacitation) or short-term oriented (power sharing agreements). Many current armed conflicts are characterized by the presence of radical Islamic fundamentalist groups. Two hypothesis (one rational and one ideological) are advanced in order to explain this empirical evidence.
