The Ingredients of Peace: Lessons from Intra-State Peace Processes

Researcher: Dr Giuditta Fontana

Overview

Ending civil wars and promoting reconciliation in conflict-affected societies are some of the most pressing challenges we face as political scientists and practitioners. But what is the recipe for a successful peace agreement? Which ingredients (or provisions) are key to successful peace processes?

This project is built on the interdisciplinary collaboration between Dr Fontana (a political scientist specialised in conflict management) and Dr Masiero (an applied micro-economist). The project identifies whether specific provisions consistently contribute to successful peace processes in countries affected by civil war and conflict, moving beyond the current emphasis on military and political clauses to also encompass cultural reforms. It does so through a mixed-methods analysis of the new dataset of Political Agreements in Internal Conflicts, developed at the University of Birmingham (Fontana et al, 2021), and in-depth case studies of conflict-affected societies. On this basis, it formulates and disseminates concrete, data-based lessons for contemporary and future peace processes.

Research Objectives

The proposed project aims to contribute to the theory and practice of conflict management and resolution by addressing one core research question: Which provisions are key to successful peace processes in countries affected by civil war and conflict? 

It has three main objectives:

  1. To identify whether specific provisions consistently contribute to successful peace processes in countries affected by civil war and conflict, moving beyond the current emphasis on military and political clauses to also encompass cultural and territorial reforms;
  2. To feed into emerging analyses of the new dataset of Political Agreements in Internal Conflicts, developed at the University of Birmingham;
  3. To formulate and disseminate concrete, data-based lessons for contemporary and future peace processes to academic and non-academic audiences.

Outputs and impact

Presentations:

  • Recognition, Reassurance and Reputation: How do Cultural Reforms help Conclude Successful Peace Agreements? International Political Studies Association Joint Colloquium on “Disruption, Crisis, Opportunity: Whither Democratic Governance?”, December 2020.
  • Recognition, Reassurance and Reputation, Political Settlements Research Group Seminar, Online, September 2020.
  • Recognition, Reassurance and Reputation, ECPR Annual Conference, Online, August 2020.
  • The Ingredients of Peace, Annual Conference of the Development Studies Association, Online, June 2020.

Research team

Dr Giuditta Fontana, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham (UK)

Dr Ilaria Masiero, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Observatoire élf - Economics, Languages and Education Research Group, University of Geneva (Switzerland) 

Partner organisation

British Academy/Leverhulme Trust Small Research Fund