The local-turn critique and its implications: A case study of Cambodia and East-Timor

Abstract

Inspired by recent criticism of liberal peacebuilding and the academic debate revolving around the effect of the local-turn on peacebuilding operations, this thesis aims to leave the general realm of the debate behind and demonstrate how all this manifested in two particular peacebuilding operations. Through the case of Cambodia and East-Timor the thesis demonstrates, that even though the overall strategy adopted by the United Nations was heavily top-down structured, on many instances they made significant efforts to cooperate with local actors, and thus the criticism of liberal peacebuilding on the lack of cooperation with the local are exaggerated. In the post-conflict setting both countries showed the inherent potential of the so-called local-turn and frequently it also successfully contributed to more sustainable peace, yet the thesis reveals that the theory supporting the local-turn also has its limits. Understanding and evaluating critiques of liberal peacebuilding and the implications of the local-turn is a crucial step towards conducting more efficient and successful peacebuilding operations in the future.