Abstract
Using the case of Liberia, this study explores the ways and extent to which Local Infrastructuresfor Peace (henceforth acronymised as LIPs) contribute to peacebuilding in post-conflict
societies. Overall, findings of this study demonstrate that despite their challenges and
shortcomings, local or community based structures such as LIPs contribute significantly to
peacebuilding. They do so, through their efforts, initiatives and interventions in two essential
components of peacebuilding-- conflict transformation and conflict prevention- thus enhancing
peaceful relations and addressing the structural causes and impacts of the civil war respectively.
The study engages peacebuilding debates through a critical lens critiquing liberal peace and its
alienation of local actors, structures and mechanisms while unpacking and providing nuanced
perspectives on the relevance of these structures in the conduct of peace. Hence, the study
posits that peacebuilding devoid of the recognition and inclusion of local structures and
capacities runs the risk of side-lining sectors as well as peace benefactors within post-conflict
spaces, resulting in a peace that is fragile, incomplete and unsustainable. The result of the study
is informed by empirical data derived from 78 interviews, 21 focus group discussions (FGDs)
and observations, collated during a four-month field study in 11 localities in Liberia. The
empirical data is supplemented with secondary data resources including analysis of journal
articles, reports, books and other digital materials with explicit focus on infrastructures for
peace and its related LIPs as well as peacebuilding theories and praxis.
The study contributes significantly to peacebuilding theories and research. It adds to the
debates on local peacebuilding, liberal peace and infrastructures for peace. It questions the
hegemony of liberal peace and the ‘illiberal’ labelling of local or community-based structures
and approaches while making a case for the recognition and inclusion of the latter in
peacebuilding. It also contributes to emerging local peacebuilding concepts of everyday peace
and hybridity, reinforcing their relevance in theory and field of practice. The study proposes
an analytical framework which would contribute to future research, serving as a foundation for
further exploration of the work of LIPs and infrastructures for peace in general in post-conflict
societies. Additionally, the framework would enhance understanding of the ‘local’ in
peacebuilding lexicon, which is still in its nascent stages.
Date of Award | 2021 |
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Original language | English |
Awarding Institution |
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Supervisor | Miho Taka (Supervisor), Gordon Crawford (Supervisor) & David Curran (Supervisor) |