Workshop on State-Citizen Interactions during and after Violence

The Global Governance Institute (GGI), along with members of the Department of Political Science’s Conflict & Change group, organised a very well attended workshop on State-Citizen Interactions during and after Violence.

The GGI undertakes cross-disciplinary study of crucial governance “deficits” in order to explore the nature of the problem, the processes, structures and institutions involved, and potential solutions. This workshop focused on the interactions between states (and various agents of the state) and civilians in and after revolutionary uprisings and violent conflicts, and the consequences of global governance initiatives aimed at fostering stability. 

The workshop brought together practitioners, policy makers, and academics to facilitate discussion around four themes: How do states’ governance (or lack thereof) affect civilians’ motives, opportunities, and strategies of resistance? During revolutionary uprisings and armed conflicts, how do the strategies of states and civilians affect each other? How do these strategies shape the state-society relationships that emerge in the aftermath of violence? And what are the consequences for civilians—intended and unintended—of governance reforms, such as security sector reform, and international organizations and external states’ involvement in fragile and conflict-ridden states.

Prof. Kristin M. Bakke kicked off the workshop by chairing a panel focused on governance and civilian interactions with the state. Dr. Nils Metternich chaired a panel covering state and civilian strategies during conflict, followed by a panel chaired by Dr. Zeynep Bulutgil on stability after conflict. Dr. Manuel Vogt concluded by chairing a panel on governance reforms and external actors. Presentations were given by participants from the School of Oriental and African Studies, the University of Arizona, the Department for International Development, the International Institute of Strategic Studies, King’s College London, the University of Mannheim, the University of Maryland, the University of Oslo, the University of Oxford, the Peace Research Institute Oslo, the University of Strathclyde, UCL and Uppsala University. Participants from Conciliation Resources and the Università degli Studi di Firenze also contributed to each round of panel discussions.