Networked Peace? Network Approaches to Peace and Conflict

Session Submission Type: Full Paper Panel

Session Description

Scholars working in the realm of peace and conflict studies have seen a rise in the use of network analysis to examine many relevant phenomena. The papers on this panel seek to advance peace and conflict literatures by applying network theories and methods in novel ways. Networks among organizations, whether they be between armed groups and states (Dorff, Minhas; Rubin, Halterman, McMurry, Radford) or among development and humanitarian organizations (Braithwaite, Bruens, Campbell, Zayed), facilitate collaboration and/or conflict with other networked actors. Social networks among individuals condition how they act toward their peers, impacting behaviors such as the reporting of gender-based violence (Haim, C. Cruz, M. Cruz) and conflict within religious groups (Sarbahi). All papers leverage original network data, and additionally offer case studies in the Philippines (Haim, C. Cruz, M. Cruz), India (Sarbahi), Nigeria (Dorff, Minhas), Colombia (Braithwaite, Bruens, Campbell, Zayed), and Syria and Myanmar (Rubin, Halterman, McMurry, Radford). These projects highlight the range of network method applications in the peace and conflict literatures at the macro- (system), meso- (group), and micro-levels (individual). They all showcase how network analysis can be useful in addressing measurement issues and advancing other dimensions within existing literatures on peace and conflict.

Sub Unit

• Division 21: Conflict Processes

Individual Presentations

• Networks of Religion, Ethnicity and Social Conflict - Anoop K. Sarbahi, University of Minnesota

• Which Way to Peace? Estimating Directionality in Conflict Event Data - Cassy Dorff, Vanderbilt University; Shahryar Minhas, Michigan State University

• Reconceptualizing Peacebuilding through Networks of Influence and Support - Jessica Maves Braithwaite, University of Arizona; Alex Bruens, University of Arizona; Susanna Campbell, American University; Hatem Zayed

• Subnational Nonstate Actor Governance - Michael A. Rubin, University of Connecticut; Andrew Halterman, Michigan State University; Nina McMurry, Vanderbilt University; Benjamin J Radford, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

• Social Networks and Gender-Based Violence - Dotan Haim, Florida State University; Cesi Cruz, University of Michigan

Chair

• Susanna Campbell American University

Discussant

• Jessica Maves Braithwaite University of Arizona