Citizens in Peace Processes

Ordinary citizens typically bear the brunt of the destruction and violence in civil wars. At the same time, their engagement in and acceptance of peace processes is often a crucial ingredient for sustainable peace. Despite the important roles citizens play in waging war and making peace, much of what we know about peace processes in civil wars centers on the interests of elite actors and the groups that they lead. While some have pointed to the importance of local agency in peace processes, their findings often remain confined to single cases and idiosyncratic theories. This project thus proposes to systematically explore citizens’ perceptions of and roles in civil war peace processes and their aftermath. How do peace agreements shape citizens’ short- and long-term preferences to the settlement? What is their impact on citizens’ attitudes towards other political politically salient groups and the post-conflict order? How do these preferences and attitudes affect citizens’ political behaviour as, for example, activism, volunteering, protest, and voting behaviour? Do citizens’ perceptions and political behaviour change over the course of the civil war peace process? PhD students are expected to examine these (and related questions) analytically and empirically within the broad theoretical frameworks offered by political science, behavioral economics, and/or political psychology. Preference will be given to applicants with an expertise, or strong interest, in quantitative research methods and/or mixed method designs. Successful applicants will be expected to have a very good undergraduate degree (a minimum of a 2:1, preferably a first class honours). They should also hold, or expect to achieve, a very good Masters degree (at a distinction level) in Political Science, Geography, Economics, or a related discipline.