Ontopolitics at Play: Inclusion Between a Panacea and a Hook

Abstract

The state of affirmation in peacebuilding has developed its own ontopolitical concepts: inclusion, resilience, political settlements. These concepts combine contextualised on-the-ground realities, residuals of liberal peacebuilding and ambiguous aspirations. In order to work in public policy, they still need to be evidenced. Measurement frameworks for inclusive peace and resilient political settlements are developed. The current policy truism that inclusion in peace processes leads to a more sustainable peacebuilding outcome, however, cannot be upheld when examining the available research outcomes. Inclusion as such is a contradictory concept that inevitably leads to fundamental trade-offs. Trade-offs do not render the endeavour worthless. However, inclusion needs to be reconceptualised as a small-scale practice, as a process tool best implemented in the form of hooks which can be inscribed in peace agreements and utilised pragmatically in post-war transitions.