Nooruddin, Irfan

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Voting for Peace: Do Post-Conflict Elections Help or Hinder Recovery?https://mershoncenter.osu.edu/index.php/research/2009-2010/voting-for-peace-do-post-conflict-elections-help-or-hinder-recovery[7/25/2019 4:50:40 PM]Help BuckeyeLink Map Find People Webmail  You are here:   Home  Research  2009-2010  Voting for Peace: Do Post-Conflict Elections Help or Hinder Recovery?VOTING FOR PEACE: DO POST-CONFLICT ELECTIONS HELP OR HINDERRECOVERY?Principal Investigator: Irfan Nooruddin, Department of Political ScienceSince the end of the Cold War, countries emerging from civil wars have beenushered as quickly as possible into democracy.  Elections held soon after thesigning of peace agreements are thought to initiate a transformation fromviolence to peace and poverty to prosperity. But what if that is not the way it works?  Irfan Nooruddin, with Thomas Flores ofGeorge Mason University, is examining elections in countries coping with theaftermath of a civil war.  They argue that such rapid transitions to democracyare fraught with danger.Of particular importance are non-state armed groups.  If they run in an electionand lose, they may suffer political retribution and be unable to run again in thefuture.  Because they are often required to disarm as part of the peace process,they are unable to force winners to keep election promises once in office.  Forthis reason, they often undermine the disarmament process until after electionsare held, fearing that only force can prevent electoral fraud.Thus, building a credible peace in post-conflict societies depends on convincingformer armed groups that their rights will be respected even if they lose anelection.  Interventions in such countries should focus on helping armed groupsconvert to political parties and building democratic institutions strong enough tokeep election winners in line.Nooruddin’s argument has two implications.  First, elections are more dangerous in countries that have no experience withdemocracy, where democratic institutions are at their weakest.  Second, delaying elections in post-conflict societies can aid apeaceful transition.  A longer interim period allows democratic institutions to build strength and non-state armed groups to evolveinto political parties.Nooruddin and Flores have found strong support for these arguments.  In one paper, they found that post-conflict democraciesface slow economic reconstruction and the threat of renewed conflict.  In another, they found that moving post-conflict elections tothe third year or beyond significantly reduces the risk of a return to war.  2016-20172015-20162014-20152013-20142012-20132011-20122010-20112009-20102008-20092007-20082006-2007MERSHON CENTER About UsResearchNewsEventsGrantsARTS AND SCIENCES College of Arts and SciencesAcademicsAbout the CollegeNews and EventsResearchINTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Office of International AffairsCenter for African StudiesCenter for Latin American StudiesCenter for Slavic & East EuropeanStudiesRESOURCES Events CalendarE-NewslettersAnnual ReportsFact SheetExperts ListABOUT US RESEARCH NEWS EVENTS GRANTS PEOPLE PUBLICATIONS CONTACTVoting for Peace: Do Post-Conflict Elections Help or Hinder Recovery?https://mershoncenter.osu.edu/index.php/research/2009-2010/voting-for-peace-do-post-conflict-elections-help-or-hinder-recovery[7/25/2019 4:50:40 PM]PeoplePublicationsContactArts and CultureAlumniEast Asian Studies CenterInstitute for Chinese StudiesInstitute for Japanese StudiesInstitute for Korean StudiesMiddle East Studies CenterFaculty BooksFurniss AwardKnowledge Bank © 2013 Mershon Center for International Security Studies – College of Arts and Sciences1501 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43201Phone: 614-292-1681 | Fax: 614-292-2407Request an alternate format of this page.   

Voting for Peace: Do Post-Conflict Elections Help or Hinder Recovery?

https://kb.osu.edu/bitstream/1811/88148/1/Mershon_Research_Nooruddin_VotingforPeace_2009-2010.pdf

Voting for Peace: Do Post-Conflict Elections Help or Hinder Recovery?

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