Rebellion, mediation, and group change

An empirical investigation of competing hypotheses

Bibliographic Data

ID4770152
AuthorsMarie Olson Lounsbery (East Carolina University), Alethia H Cook (East Carolina University)
Year2011
Volume48
Issue1
Pages73-84
Publication date2011-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Peace Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-3433 • E-ISSN: 1460-3578
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0022343310390256
OpenAlexW2170836747
LanguageEN
Citations received26
References cited28

Multilateral and diplomatic resolutions to intrastate conflicts are the preferred method of termination. However, mediated settlements tend toward failure and conflict recurrence. A significant factor in this failure is that government and groups are heterogeneous. While the demands, goals, preferences, and intentions of both sides are sometimes viewed as being held in common, they are potentially as diverse as the groups' members. Understanding the relationship between resolution efforts and group heterogeneity is complicated but crucial to improving mediation success. The current article examines all intrastate conflicts for the period 1945-1999, in order to test two competing propositions found in the literature on group change and the occurrence of mediation. The primary question of interest is whether group change tends to result from or precede mediation attempts. In other words, is group change an impetus to engage in mediation or do mediation processes tend to result in altered group characteristics. The findings support only the proposition that when governments engage rebels in mediation, rebel group changes are significantly more likely to occur than without mediation. The implications of the findings are also discussed

Alternative dispute resolution · Conflict resolution · Epistemology · Government (linguistics) · Group (periodic table) · Human settlement · Mediation · Party-directed mediation · Political science · Proposition · Engineering · International Development and Aid · Law · Political Conflict and Governance · Psychology · Social Psychology · Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence

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