Laws And Order: The Impact of Rebel Governance on Post-Conflict Judiciaries

"Laws And Order: The Impact of Rebel Governance on Post-Conflict Judiciaries"

Cyanne E. Loyle (Pennsylvania State University)

Abstract:

What are the long-term impacts of rebel judicial systems on post-conflict rule of law? The study of rebel governance has focused primarily on the rationale for the use of rebel institutions and the impact of those choices on the conflict itself. Rebel courts and judicial systems can be pervasive institutions in the lives of the rebels who operate them and the citizens living under their jurisdiction. As such, these processes can have long term implications for the independence and functioning of the state judicial system once conflict has ended. Using new data on rebel judiciaries across armed conflicts from 1950 through 2006, this paper examines variation in the structure, transparency, and civilian engagement of rebel courts in order to better understand the ways in which these courts impact the long-term functioning of the post-conflict judiciary. A study of rebel courts expands our knowledge of rebel governance and further informs plans for judicial reform following armed conflict.

Discussants:

Mary Beth Altier (New York University)

Adrian Florea (University of Glasgow)

Michael Weintraub (Universidad de los Andes)

OPSC Coordinator:

Cassy Dorff (Vanderbilt University)