Research Manuel Barroso Sevillano

Abstract

Recent times have witnessed a growing academic awareness about the complexity of peace, and the importance of the cities as strategic spaces for successful conflict resolution and sustainable peacebuilding. This makes a comprehensive understanding of the local-urban dynamics of peace processes a critical concern for learning and action. The aim of this project is to build theory around contemporary challenges and opportunities in the field of international support for conflict resolution and sustainable peacebuilding in urban environments for citizens' wellbeing, through the novel prism of the Social Legitimation of Peace (SLP). SLP is a multi-level and multi-actor process of hybrid negotiations that takes place in a conflict-affected society during the main stages of peace processes, whose result will largely affect the outcomes of peace and post-conflict governance at local level. To explore SLP, the research will rely on a case-study method based on Mozambique. A long-standing country considered as an international 'success story' in peacebuilding which, nevertheless, experienced the sound of guns recently after two decades of peace. By privileging qualitative research and fieldwork, this project will analyze the Peace and National Reconciliation Agreement of 2019, from the perspective of the four "contested cities" of Maputo, Beira, Quelimane and Nampula. Ultimately, this research is situated at the crossroads of three bodies of academic literature: studies on legitimacy and peace processes; literature on the 'local-urban' turn in peacebuilding; and theoretical debates on postconflict governance.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Vandeginste Stef
• Fellow: Barroso Sevillano Manuel

Research team(s)

• Development processes, actors and policies

Project type(s)

• Research Project