Postwar reconstruction in Liberia: Examining the interaction of the government of Liberia, Liberian civil society, and international actors against the backdrop of specific institutions

Led by Alžběta Šváblová, M.A.

Summary: After the official ending of the violent conflict in 2003, Liberia is still confronted with the task of multi-faceted reconstruction and rebuilding of its institutions. To achieve the goal, the state works in a close cooperation with other players, such as foreign governments, international organizations, civil society etc.

The research explores the patterns of interaction between three groups of actors involved in the peacebuilding process in Liberia - civil society, government institutions and external actors against the backdrop four institutions, where these actors meet: the Governance Commission, the Land Commission, Gender-Based Violence Taskforce, and Early Warning Working Group. The dissertation studies the roles of the respective actors in the four fields and attempts to identify factors behind the relatively slow pace of the post-conflict reform process. Secondly, the study explores the institutional framework of the interaction and its changes in time.