Peacebuilding from below vs. the liberal peace: the case of Haiti

Abstract

Abstract Despite the acknowledged importance of engaging domestic actors at all levels – from the grassroots to the elite – in peacebuilding processes, the recent preoccupation with statebuilding has typically left “the people” on the sidelines. We explore how to achieve greater coherence between top-down and bottom-up approaches through a case study of one community-based peacebuilding initiative in Haiti. The obstacles to “vertically integrated” peacebuilding are considerable. To overcome them will require not only support for mid-level political and social structures through which top-down and bottom-up processes could productively interact, but also greater commitment on the part of both grassroots and top-level actors.

Résumé Malgré la reconnaissance de l'importance de l'engagement des acteurs locaux à tous les niveaux – de la base aux élites dans le processus de consolidation de la paix, le peuple est généralement exclu dans le processus de reconstruction des États. Cet article explore les méthodes permettant d'atteindre une plus grande cohérence entre les approches descendante (top-down) et ascendante (bottom-up) à travers une étude de cas en Haïti. Les défis posés à une approche d'intégration verticale à la reconstruction sont considérables. Pour les surmonter il faut d'abord, l'appui des structures politiques et sociales intermédiaires ou les processus ascendant et descendant peuvent interagir ainsi bien qu'un engagement plus fort de la part de différents acteurs à tous les niveaux.

Keywords:

• Haiti
• peacebuilding

Notes

One of the authors of this paper, Amy C. Knorr, was the coordinator of the project featured in this case study in 2011–2012.

Author interview, Port-au-Prince, February 2012.

Author interview, Port-au-Prince, February 2012.

While the language of community policing does feature prominently in official documents, including the official HNP reform plan, the lack of enthusiasm for community policing on the part of the senior HNP leadership is discernible. Author interviews, Port-au-Prince, February 2012.

The authors are grateful to an anonymous reviewer for drawing our attention to this point.

In Martissant, the parallel PBP initiative has received funding for civic education and advocacy training, which is already beginning to bear fruit in terms of the quality of contacts between citizens and local officials.