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It Takes a Village: UN Peace Operations and Social Networks in Postconflict Environments

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 July 2019

T. I. Gizelis Open the ORCID record for T. I. Gizelis [Opens in a new window]
T. I. Gizelis*
Affiliation:
University of Essex
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Abstract

Why are civil society organizations so often unable to make a difference during the transition to peace? I argue that the contributions of local civil society organizations and women's organizations to postconflict peacebuilding should be understood in terms of the networks that emerge during the peacebuilding process. Horizontal network conditions are essential for successful postconflict reconstruction. Yet external actors often implement policies that strengthen hierarchical links at the expense of such horizontal networks. To explore the types of networks that emerge in postconflict reconstruction, I use semistructured interviews conducted in Liberia. The evidence suggests that emerging horizontal networks are more robust in areas where local communities and women have a tradition of organizing. However, these networks remain fairly unstable. The assistance is mostly channeled centrally, strengthening hierarchical ties and leading to distortions in the distribution of resources.

Keywords

Women's organizationspostconflict reconstructionhorizontal networks
Type
Research Article
Information
Politics & Gender , Volume 17 , Issue 1 , March 2021 , pp. 167 - 196
Copyright
Copyright © The Women and Politics Research Section of the American Political Science Association, 2019

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Footnotes

I am grateful for comments from Alejandro Quiroz Flores, Sabrina Karim, Jonathan Joseph, Andrea Ruggeri, Stefano Costalli, and Han Dorussen. The fieldwork in Liberia was funded by the U.K. Economic and Social Research Council (Grant #RES-000-22-4306).

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