Third-party coordination in conflict resolution: evidence from Nepal and the Philippines
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the conditions that lead to the occurrence of third-party interveners’ coordination in conflict resolution efforts.
Design/methodology/approach
The studied theme is elaborated by means of an analysis of two case studies: the Maoist armed conflict of Nepal and the Moro conflict of the Philippines. Importantly, this study solicits the views of third-party practitioners and other relevant stakeholders in the field and attempts to demonstrate how they perceive key issues in third-party coordination.
Findings
Third-party coordination is a contingent process, with varying needs and relevance in different phases and types of conflict. The escalation of violence, issues of international concern such as human rights and the homogeneity of interveners are other core elements that have often played a key role in third-party coordination.
Research limitations/implications
In the existing literature, there are no such indicator-based explanations regarding the occurrence of third-party coordination; thus, the findings of this research on this particular theme are well-developed and better conceptualized than what has been discussed in the literature to date.
Practical implications
The analysis undertaken in this study can contribute to the design of better policies and strategies for third-party coordination.
Originality/value
This study is based on in-depth interviews and interactions with a diverse range of third-party practitioners and other stakeholders working in real-world conflicts, who have perhaps the best understanding of various dimensions of third-party coordination. No previous research has been conducted on this particular theme by incorporating direct interaction with a wide range of interveners from two distinct conflict contexts.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author would like to express his sincere gratitude to Dr Richard Jackson and Dr Isak Svensson for providing some constructive feedbacks in the earlier versions of this paper. The author also would like to thank the Graduate Research Office of the University of Otago, New Zealand, for providing a publishing bursary in the process of writing this article.
Citation
Bhattarai, P. (2016), "Third-party coordination in conflict resolution: evidence from Nepal and the Philippines", International Journal of Conflict Management, Vol. 27 No. 3, pp. 398-423. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCMA-08-2014-0066
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