(En)gendering the Negotiation Table: Investigating the Determinants of Women's Substantive Inclusion in Formal Peace Processes Restricted; Files & ToC
Carroll, Lucy (Spring 2024)
Published
Abstract
In 2000, the U.N. Security Council passed Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325), formally acknowledging the indispensable role of women’s full and equal participation in conflict resolution, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and in post-conflict reconstruction. While policy reports have consistently integrated recommendations aligned with the tenets outlined in UNSCR 1325, recent scholarly endeavors have aimed to empirically assess the impacts of women's presence at negotiation tables. Despite this progression, there remains a gap in understanding the determinants of substantive, or meaningful, inclusion of women in Track 1 peace processes, wherein their voices significantly influence outcomes. This study addresses this gap by assessing variation in women's substantive inclusion in formal peace negotiations and testing potential determinants of this outcome. By investigating why substantive inclusion occurs in some cases but not others, this research aims to inform policy recommendations on inclusive peace and security efforts. Recognizing the complexity of measuring substantive inclusion, this thesis offers a novel operationalization and coding process to categorize different levels of substantive inclusion, labeled “hollow inclusion,” “symbolic inclusion,” and “substantive inclusion,” thereby refining existing definitions of the concept. Additionally, it quantitatively and qualitatively tests mechanisms essential for women's meaningful inclusion, including the capacity of women’s civil society networks, women’s political participation, and the presence of U.N. bodies in peace processes.
My findings across methods reveal a positive correlation between the presence of U.N. bodies and women's substantive inclusion in peace negotiations, which I argue might be attributed to increased international focus and targeted support for meaningful inclusion. While the relationship between women's political and civil society participation and substantive inclusion shows mixed results, my case study analyses suggest a pattern of synergistic interactions between women’s civil society organizations and UN bodies operating together to ensure women’s substantive inclusion into formal negotiations. Overall, this study contributes methodologically by refining the operationalization of substantive inclusion and empirically by uncovering insights into the factors driving women's meaningful participation in formal peace negotiations.
Table of Contents
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File download under embargo until 24 May 2026 | 2024-04-14 18:40:35 -0400 | File download under embargo until 24 May 2026 |
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