Exploring Faultlines, Conflict, Satisfaction, and Stress in Groups of Peacekeepers

Abstract

We explore group faultlines in peacekeeping troops on missions between 1995 and 1999 in Bosnia. Group faultlines are defined as hypothetical dividing lines that split a group into subgroups based on demographic characteristics (e.g. age, gender, etc.), culture, norms, work attitudes, and behavior of peacekeepers. In particular, we examine how potential faultlines become active faultlines and then result in task, relationship, and cultural conflict within a group of peacekeepers. We link these types of conflict to peacekeepers’ satisfaction, perceived performance, and level of work stress. We test our hypotheses on survey data from a sample of 907 Dutch military peacekeepers (Ng = 168). Implications for practitioners and future research directions are discussed.