Pushing the doors open: Nonviolent action and inclusion in peace negotiations
| Author | Desirée Nilsson,Isak Svensson |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/00223433221141468 |
| Published date | 01 January 2023 |
| Date | 01 January 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Regular Articles |
Pushing the doors open: Nonviolent action
and inclusion in peace negotiations
Desire
´e Nilsson
Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University
Isak Svensson
Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University
Abstract
Whereas previous research shows that peace agreements which include a broad segment of society are more likely to
lead to sustainable peace, little effort has gone into explaining inclusion itself. We address this gap in the literature by
providing the first large-N study to examine the causes of inclusive peace negotiations across civil wars. We argue that
civil society actors can gain leverage through mobilization of civilian protest, or build trust through dialogue efforts,
thereby enhancing the chances of inclusion of non-warring actors at the negotiation table. The argument is examined
by analysing unique and new monthly data on peacemaking efforts in all intrastate armed conflicts in Africa and the
Americas, 1989–2018, including measures beyond mere nominal participation, such as whether civil society actors
or political parties had substantive roles as either mediators or full participants at the peace talks. Our findings show
that protests by civil society actors increase the likelihood that non-warring actors will have a seat at the negotiation
table, whereas we find no such effect concerning dialogue efforts. The article contributes by providing new insights
into how nonviolent action can shape peace processes by opening the doors to negotiations and is thus part of an
emerging research agenda that seeks to bring together the fields of civil resistance and inclusive peace processes.
Keywords
armed conflict, civil society, inclusion, nonviolent action, peace negotiation
Introduction
A comprehensive peace agreement was signed in Sudan
in 2020 with the aim to bring a peaceful end to the civil
war that has raged within the country. The agreement
was negotiated not only by the armed actors but also the
Sudan Revolutionary Front – an alliance of civil society
organizations that, through a massive popular-based
nonviolent campaign of various forms of protests, had
challenged and toppled the autocratic regime of Presi-
dent Omar al-Bashir in 2018–2019 (Zunes, 2021). The
Sudanese case exemplifies the key role of civil society in
shaping the dynamics of armed conflicts and the con-
ditions under which peace talks are held. In particular,
it illustrates two different roles of the Sudanese civil
society – protest and negotiation – and how one paved
the way for the other. The Sudanese civil society orga-
nizations thus got their place at the negotiation table
after being able to successfully mobilize against the
regime through protests.
Inclusion of civil society actors in peace accords has
been identified as a key factor behind sustainable peace
(Bell & O’Rourke, 2007; Nilsson, 2012; Wanis-St. John
& Kew, 2008).
1
To let different stakeholders have a say
when the transition from war to peace is negotiated is
important in itself, but it can also lead to greater chances
for a more robust post-conflict peace. Moreover, the type
of institutions, constitutional arrangements, and state
Corresponding author:
desiree.nilsson@pcr.uu.se
1
Previous work focuses mainly on civil society, but some also
consider the inclusion of politic al parties (Barnes, 2009; Nilsson,
2012; cf. Ross, 2019).
Journal of Peace Research
2023, Vol. 60(1) 58–72
ªThe Author(s) 2023
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DOI: 10.1177/00223433221141468
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