Addressing Ethnic Divisions in Post-Conflict Institution-Building: Lessons from Recent Cases – Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)

The article analyzes post-conflict institution-building in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq, finding that an 'assumption of intransigence' led to the institutionalization of ethnicity, which has hindered peacebuilding. It argues for flexible institutional designs based on in-depth conflict assessments to de-ethnicize politics and ensure inclusivity.

• In post-conflict settings where armed conflict aligned with ethnic boundaries, the political importance of ethnicity increases, though these identities remain dynamic rather than being fixed 'ancient hatreds'.
• International efforts in institution-building have frequently been guided by an 'assumption of intransigence', resulting in the institutionalization of ethnicity, which subsequently obstructs peacebuilding efforts.

APA

G., S. (2005). Addressing Ethnic Divisions in Post-Conflict Institution-Building: Lessons from Recent Cases – Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://www.prio.org/publications/3239

Chicago

G., Sven. Addressing Ethnic Divisions in Post-Conflict Institution-Building: Lessons from Recent Cases – Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2005. https://www.prio.org/publications/3239.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=G. |first1=Sven |title=Addressing Ethnic Divisions in Post-Conflict Institution-Building: Lessons from Recent Cases – Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=1 September 2005 |url=https://www.prio.org/publications/3239 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{g2005addressing, author = {G., Sven}, title = {{Addressing Ethnic Divisions in Post-Conflict Institution-Building: Lessons from Recent Cases – Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2005}, month = sep, url = {https://www.prio.org/publications/3239}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }