Objectives
Background and Motivation for this Project
Armed conflicts, while devastating in their immediate effects, can trigger profound social and political transformations. Since 2013, the number of active conflicts worldwide has risen significantly, with the Uppsala Conflict Data Program reporting 55 ongoing armed conflicts in 2020. These conflicts have left civilians grappling with violence, displacement, destruction of property, and a collapse in essential services.
However, conflict can also disrupt entrenched inequalities in social, political, and gender relations. By destabilizing traditional norms, conflicts may create opportunities for previously marginalized groups—such as ethnic minorities and women—to gain rights, influence, and decision-making power. While these transformative effects are uncertain and often contingent on factors like international support or demographic shifts, understanding their potential remains critical for post-conflict recovery and resilience.
Objectives
This project seeks to explore how civil wars and armed conflicts influence social cohesion, gender dynamics, and local politics. Specifically, we aim to understand if, when, and how conflicts reshape societal power structures and relationships. Key research questions include:
Impact of violence: Which forms of direct and indirect violence have the most significant impact on gender dynamics and shifts in power relations?
Multi-level transformations: How do these changes manifest across different levels of society, including households, communities, and local political structures?
Mechanisms and conditions: What mechanisms drive transformations, and under what conditions are shifts in community cohesion, gender dynamics, and local governance more likely to occur?
By addressing these questions, the project aims to provide actionable insights into the pathways and barriers to social transformation in post-conflict contexts, offering a foundation for policies that foster equality, stability, and inclusive governance.