Power-sharing and Democratic Governance in Divided Societies

Led by Scott Gates
Aug 2006 – Aug 2006

Workshop at PRIO, 21-22 August 2006

One of the most commonly prescribed methods of achieving stable governance in divided societies is power-sharing. Advocates champion it as a means of reconciling the goals of self-determination of a group and democracy in a multi-ethnic society. Power-sharing thus serves as a means of distributing power across groups through broad-based coalitions. Skeptics respond that since conflict resolution may require entrenching the interests of certain segments of society, power-sharing institutions may themselves undermine the stability of the political system. In some cases, such instability may even lead to violent outcomes. This fundamental dilemma is the focus of this workshop.

How can institutions provide immediate conflict resolution, while continuing to maintain flexible and competitive institutions? In particular, we seek analyses highlighting the role of delegation (such as principal-agent relationships) in the success or failure of governance and conflict management.

Program and downloadable papers

	Monday, 21 August
9:00–9:15	Welcome and Introduction
	*Origins of Power-sharing*
9:15–9:45	Timothy D. Sisk; Pathway of the Political: Electoral Processes after Civil War (not available online)
9:45–10:15	Stephen M. Saideman; Challenges of Democracy and the Origins of Power-Sharing: Competition, Exclusion and the Impact of Institutions
10:15–11:00	Kaare Strøm – Discussant and Discussion Leader
11:00–11:15	Coffee Break
11:15–11:45	Anna Jarstad; The logic of power sharing after civil war image(PDFIcon)
11:45–12:15	Donald Rothchild; Africa’s Power-Sharing Institutions as a Response to Insecurity: Assurance without Deterrence
12:15–13:00	Scott Gates – Discussant and Discussion Leader
13:00–14:00	Lunch
	Performance of Power-sharing Arrangements
14:00–14:30	Philip G. Roeder; Power-Dividing as an Alternative to Ethnic Power-Sharing image(PDFIcon)
14:30–15:00	Kristine Höglund; Electoral Violence in War-Ravaged Societies: The Case of Sri Lanka image(PDFIcon)
15:00–15:15	Break
15:15-15:45	Han Dorussen; UN Peacekeeping and Local Governments
15:45–16:45	Indra de Soysa – Discussant and Discussion Leader

	Tuesday, 22 August
	*Performance of Power-sharing Arrangements*
9:00–9:30	Scott Gates & Kaare Strøm; Agency Loss and Transactions Costs
9:30–10:15	Steven J. Brams & D. Marc Kilgour; The Instability of Power Sharing image(PDFIcon)
10:15–10:30	Break
10:30–11:00	S. Mansoob Murshed; On the Nature of Third Party Interaction with Recipients in Post-Conflict Mediation and Reform
11:00–11:45	Magnus Öberg - Discussant and Discussion Leader
11:45–12:00	Break
12:00–12:30	Marie-Joëlle Zahar & Stephen Brown; Non-Traditional Power-Sharing and the Commitment Problem: Lessons from Angola and Mozambique
12:30–13:00	Camilla Gjerde; Extreme Politicians: Who are they? image(PDFIcon)
13:00–13:30	Desiree Nilsson - Discussant and Discussion Leader
13:30–14:15	Lunch
	*Consequences of Power Sharing*
14:15–14:45	Wolfgang C. Müller; Intra-party Conditions for Power Sharing: Comparing Power Sharing Post-War and Conflict Inter-War Austria image(PDFIcon)
14:45–15:15	Helga Malmin Binningsbø; Power-Sharing and Post-Conflict Peace Periods image(PDFIcon)
15:15–15:30	Break
15:30–16:00	Kristin M. Bakke; Power-Sharing and Peace: The Effects of Decentralization, Diversity, and Disparity. Available upon request from kmbakke@u.washington.edu
16:15–17:00	Ola Listhaug - Discussant and Discussion Leader
	*Wrap-up*
17:00–17:30	Scott Gates & Kaare Strøm

Members

Scott Gates

Publications

Conference Paper

Binningsbø, Helga Malmin (2006) Power-Sharing and Postconflict Peace Periods, presented at the Power-sharing and Democratic Governance in Divided Societies workshop, Oslo, 21–22 August.