Community-Driven Reconstruction, Empowerment and Identities in Post-Conflict Transition

: A case study of two Governorates in Yemen

Abstract

This thesis explores community empowerment and identity as drivers of reconstruction in Yemen. The community-driven reconstruction (CDR) approach has become one of the most popular methods for development and reconstruction, particularly in post-conflict and transitional settings. However, experiences with this approach have also faced criticism about how empowerment is achieved in practice. This thesis presents an in-depth case study of a CDR program in the Aden and Marib regions to address these criticisms. It analyses factors that empower people to drive reconstruction, examines its potential direct and indirect outcomes, and identifies key constraints that may hinder community empowerment and social cohesion. Using the constructivist grounded theory method, qualitative data was collected through in-depth remote semi-structured interviews with 40 participants, including key informants and community members involved in CDR. Sampling began purposively and progressed to theoretical sampling, employing grounded theory techniques such as memo writing and iterative questioning until sufficient data was gathered to define each theoretical code. Data analysis followed the stages of initial, focused, and theoretical coding, applied consistently until Community Empowerment and Reconstruction (CER) model was constructed from the data. The model represents the most significant five factors grounded from the data which are: (1) establishing an enabling environment by identifying motivating and demotivating factors for engaging in reconstruction; (2) rebuilding a shared community identity to support engagement in reconstruction; (3) initiating actual reconstruction work; (4) the direct and indirect outcomes of community interactions; and (5) the limitations of these interactions. This model empowers local communities to drive reconstruction and can be implemented in different contexts, such as Gaza and Ukraine, to achieve direct outcomes (e.g., rebuilding infrastructure) and indirect outcomes (e.g., social cohesion) by leveraging the power of unity and collaboration in the face of adversity.

Date of Award	Aug 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Coventry University
Supervisor	Gavin Sullivan (Supervisor), Chas Morrison (Supervisor) & Chris Day (Supervisor)