Firms and Peacemaking: The Role of Private Firms in Civil War Negotiations

Abstract

Over the last 20 years, scholars have closely examined the political and social conditions that promote peaceful conflict resolution and those that exacerbate violence. Accordingly, there is much greater understanding of violence and peace processes. Mostly lacking from this scholarship, however, is a role for private firms. International firms are often present in societies prone to conflict. Recent research suggests firms can play an important role in conflict prevention and resolution, and business scholars suggest these actors can reduce tensions in conflict zones. Yet, little is known about how multinational corporations impact conflict resolution dynamics. This project explores how the private sector affects conflict. Using new data, the authors show the effects of an active private sector on the occurrence and outcomes of civil war negotiations. The findings show that corporate calls for peace are effective at encouraging states and rebels in democracies to negotiate, but only increase the likelihood of reaching a peace agreement in nondemocracies.