Illiberal Peacebuilding in Asia: A Comparative Overview

Over the past 20 years, there have been significant and historic breakthroughs in resolving protracted ethnic conflicts in restive regions of several states in South and South-East Asia. After decades of violence, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand have all witnessed periods of reduced conflict and increased stability. Peacebuilding as practiced in these states departs markedly from the liberal and post-liberal models in which Western actors and liberal norms play a key role. Here, by contrast, peacebuilding is driven by domestic actors applying illiberal norms and practices. In this introductory article, we trace the shift from liberal to post-liberal to illiberal peacebuilding, define illiberal peacebuilding, discuss the case studies presented in this special issue, and finally draw out common themes and policy implications.