Bringing them in or leaving them out? Mediator types and civil society inclusion in peace talks

Abstract The inclusion of civil society in peace accords can enhance the durability of peace. Mediators are in a unique position to influence who gets access to the negotiation table. However, we have limited knowledge of how mediators can influence peace talks, in particular, how the type of mediator shapes the inclusion of civil society at the negotiation table. In this study, we break new ground by asking if and how the type of mediator influences the likelihood of inclusion in peace talks in civil wars. We argue that depending on the type of mediator, there will be variation in whether civil society organizations are granted a seat at the table or not. To examine this issue, we leverage fine-grained data on civil society inclusion from the Non-Warring Actors in Peacemaking (NoWA) dataset, which we combine with comprehensive data on mediator types from the African Peace Process (APP) dataset, 1989–2018. In line with our theoretical argument, our findings demonstrate that UN mediators are associated with a higher chance of civil society inclusion. In addition, contrary to our expectations, we find that authoritarian states as mediators do not decrease the likelihood of including civil society.