Represión estatal y derechos humanos en sociedades de posguerra

Abstract

This study analyzes the causes of state repression during post-civil war periods. For this purpose, it applies a multifactorial approach, considering armed conflict characteristics as well as the configuration of post-conflict societies as explanatory factors with regard to human rights violations committed by the State. From an empirical viewpoint, the work is based on a comprehensive database which includes all post-war periods registered between 1976 and 2012 and a total of 70 episodes that occurred in 56 different countries. The analysis shows the relevance of multiple variables, including the virulence of armed conflict, its ethnic dimension, the ruling post-war political regime, the presence of political opposition and population size, for explaining the status of human rights in post-conflict situations. The research also proposes a new viewpoint on the impact of state weakness on post-war repression. Thus, it suggests alternative lines of analysis and raises the need to explore the implementation of state-building policies as an additional tool to guarantee human rights in post-war scenarios.