Abstract

The recent increase in frequency and severity of civil wars indicates a need to continue to discover new factors and methods that can lead to durable peace. These wars create unbearable costs during and after the conflict. It is also during these recent years that the quantity of international organizations has increased. What if these international organizations could satisfy the growing demand to resolve civil wars? My hypothesis is that when a regional organization is involved primarily during the bargaining phase of the civil war peace process, its efforts lead to a higher probability of durable peace. To test this, I conducted a comparative case study, cross-country and cross-temporally between Liberia 1991 and 1996, and Sierra Leone 2001. My results did not support my hypothesis of a correlation between the point at which the regional organization got involved and the durability of the peace. I concluded that the data on the independent variable (the timing of involvement) is too limited and therefore inconclusive. Further research is necessary in the form of interviews to examine a relationship between the timing of the regional organization and the durability of the peace.

Advisor

Leiby, Michele

Department

Political Science

Keywords

Regional Organization, Durable Peace, Mediated Settlement

Publication Date

2017

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 2017 Parker Ohlmann