The aim of this work is to elaborate the meaning of credibility, as defined by Lindsay Reid, in the Colombian peace negotiations and to shed light on the role of the two involved guarantor countries and mediators Cuba and Norway.
Therefore, it is important to look at whether and how the mediators fulfill the characteristics for generating credibility leverage, in order to be able to answer the question: In what manner does the credibility leverage of mediators manifest as the Colombian peace process unfolds?
For this purpose, sources on mediation and mediator leverage as well as studies reviews on peace negotiations in Colombia will be referenced.
It is particularly important to emphasize that this term paper focuses on the process of mediation itself, detached from making judgements about its ultimate success in creating peace in Colombia.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. Reasearch Question
2. Literature review
2.1. Mediation: Torwarts an Definition
2.2. Mediator Leverage: Concept and Components
3. Theoretical Argument
4. Methodology
4.1. Case Selection
5. The Colombian Civil war: Historical Overview and previous peace efforts
5.1. Actors and trust dynamics in the Colombian Peace Process
6. Analysis of the impact of mediator Leverage on the Colombian Peace Process
7. Conclusion
8. Limitations and disscussion
Research Objectives & Key Themes
The primary objective of this paper is to examine the role of mediator credibility, specifically focusing on the guarantor countries Norway and Cuba, within the context of the Colombian peace negotiations between 2010 and 2016. The central research question seeks to understand how mediator credibility manifests and influences the mediation process during the Colombian peace negotiations.
- Theoretical conceptualization of mediator credibility and leverage.
- Historical context of the Colombian civil war and prior failed peace attempts.
- Analysis of the specific roles and strategies employed by Cuba and Norway.
- Assessment of trust dynamics between international mediators and conflicting parties.
- Evaluation of the influence of contextual knowledge and cultural ties on mediation success.
Excerpt from the Book
6. Analysis of the impact of mediator Leverage on the Colombian Peace Process
Cuba, as well as Norway were already called in as a guarantors and mediators in the first phase of negotiations between the Colombian government and the FARC, which was still kept secret from the public (norad 2018, p. 21). This can be attributed to the fact that both countries had already been involved in former talks between the parties and in the case of Norway “humanitarian presence” in Colombia (norad 2018, p. 24). As Lindsay Reid points out in her study, "previous mediation efforts [...] signal that a mediator has interests in a country and knowledge of a conflict." Hence, the guarantor countries already had a margin of trust and contextual knowledge of the conflict at the beginning of the negotiations, "one of the key mechanisms of credibility leverage" (Reid 2017, p. 1425).
In addition to historical ties, such as previous experience in negotiations between the parties to the conflict, credibility leverage is also generated through cultural ties (Reid 2017, p. 1409). Besides their geographical proximity, language, and religion, Cuba as mediator and the conflict parties in Colombia also share colonial pasts. Both countries were conquered and colonized by European colonial powers. Colombia was colonized by Spain, while Cuba was influenced by both Spain and Britain. They were part of the Latin American independence movements in the 19th century, fought against Spanish domination and eventually gained their independence.
The FARC in particular, due to ideological similarities, also had reason to view Cuba as a suitable mediator. Cuba is world-renowned for its communist government, and the origins of the leftist guerrilla movements found their inspiration in the Cuban Revolution. The Colombian likewise endorsed Cuba as a mediator, as the Castro brothers had made a significant contribution to persuading the FARC to negotiate by urging them to "finally end the deadly conflict" (Moser 2020, p. 52).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the research context, highlighting the increasing importance of mediator credibility in modern civil war resolution and presenting the research question.
2. Literature review: Provides an overview of academic discourse regarding the definition of mediation and the theoretical concept of mediator leverage.
3. Theoretical Argument: Establishes the link between mediator leverage and credibility, proposing hypotheses regarding how contextual knowledge and cultural ties influence mediation outcomes.
4. Methodology: Outlines the literature-based research design and justifies the selection of the Colombian peace process as a case study.
5. The Colombian Civil war: Historical Overview and previous peace efforts: Offers a historical background of the conflict and details the dynamics between key actors during the peace negotiations.
6. Analysis of the impact of mediator Leverage on the Colombian Peace Process: Examines how the specific attributes of Cuba and Norway as mediators contributed to their leverage and influenced the negotiation process.
7. Conclusion: Summarizes the study's findings regarding the manifestations of credibility leverage and reflects on the verified hypotheses.
8. Limitations and disscussion: Addresses methodological constraints of the study and discusses the complexity of factors influencing the peace agreement.
Keywords
Civil War Mediation, Mediator Credibility, Mediator Leverage, Colombian Peace Process, FARC, Norway, Cuba, Conflict Resolution, Trust Dynamics, Peace Negotiations, Contextual Knowledge, Cultural Ties, Diplomatic Mediation, International Mediators.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the concept of "mediator credibility" and how it acts as a form of leverage in the empirical practice of mediating civil wars, utilizing the 2010-2016 Colombian peace negotiations as a case study.
What are the central themes explored?
Key themes include the definition of mediation, the components of mediator leverage—specifically credibility—the historical background of the Colombian conflict, and the specific mediation roles played by Norway and Cuba.
What is the primary research question?
The research asks: "In what manner does the credibility leverage of mediators manifest as the Colombian peace process unfolds?"
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The study employs a literature-based qualitative approach, analyzing existing academic research, international organization reports, and the final 2016 peace agreement itself.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body covers the literature review on mediation, the development of the theoretical argument, the historical context of the Colombia-FARC conflict, and a detailed analytical comparison of the mediator roles of Norway and Cuba.
What are the defining keywords of the study?
Essential keywords include Civil War Mediation, Mediator Credibility, Mediator Leverage, Colombian Peace Process, and Conflict Resolution.
Why were Cuba and Norway chosen as the specific focus?
They are examined because they served as the two primary guarantor countries and mediators, each bringing different types of leverage—Cuba through cultural and ideological ties, and Norway through international neutrality and experience—to the negotiation table.
Did the study confirm that mediator leverage ensured the peace success?
The study suggests that while credibility leverage was vital in bringing parties back to the table, the author notes that it is difficult to isolate credibility as the sole factor for success, acknowledging that other complex political and societal influences were at play.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Noa Machado (Autor:in), 2023, Mediator Leverage. International Mediation in the Colombian Civil War, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1397429
