Caring is sharing

Why independent commissions in post-conflict societies have power-sharing arrangements

Bibliographic Data

ID3917524
AuthorsDawn Walsh (0000-0002-4065-7117, University College Dublin, corresponding author), Natascha S Neudorfer (0000-0002-9956-3529, University of Birmingham)
Year2024
Volume61
Issue5
Pages760-777
Publication date2024-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Peace Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-3433 • E-ISSN: 1460-3578
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/00223433231164448
OpenAlexW4377970301
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited44

The inclusion of conflict parties in independent commissions through power-sharing has been found to reduce the reoccurrence of conflict. Yet, the theoretical and empirical literature explaining why independent commissions include power-sharing is very limited. Previous publications have focused on in-depth case studies that explain how power-sharing prevents conflict recurrence in specific post-conflict societies but do not provide a general argument or widescale testing beyond individual case studies. This article provides a new systematic, general theoretical argument and novel empirical testing that explains why there is power-sharing on some commissions but not others. We argue that conflict parties adopt power-sharing provisions in independent commissions because doing so allows them to overcome significant credible commitments problems that are inherent to the ending of intrastate conflict. Using a new and comprehensive dataset, Independent Commissions in Post-Conflict Societies, which includes information on 580 commissions (1990-2016), this article applies a combination of decision trees and regression analysis to test our hypotheses. The findings indicate that power-sharing is adopted where credible commitment problems are acute and show that commissions working on political or security issues and those with monitoring or verification roles, or that work on the implementation of peace agreements, are more likely to include power-sharing arrangements

Argument (complex analysis) · Computer security · Information sharing · Law and economics · Political science · Politics · Power (physics) · Power sharing · Sociology · Test (biology) · Work (physics) · Computer Science · Engineering · International Development and Aid · Law · Medicine · Peacebuilding and International Security · Political Conflict and Governance

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