The Exercise of Authority to Prevent Communal Conflict

Abstract

This article attempts to bridge the gap between research on the role of leaders in conflict prevention, on the one hand, and studies on obedience to authority, on the other. The former has been the focus of political scientists and international relations specialists while the latter has been researched extensively by social psychologists. Studies of obedience provide an explanation of the potential role of authority in conflict prevention. This article discusses investments in peace that focus on building inter‐communal harmony, and compares them to investment in a business setting. It argues that peace research could benefit from a focus on obedience studies comparing the role of conflict‐promoting authority figures to that of conflict‐preventing authority figures. It supports the view that aid agencies that train community leaders in communal conflict preemption techniques are making effective investments in peace.