Illiberal Peacebuilding and Authoritarian Regime Survival: Evidence from Postwar Syria

How regimes rebuild after war
Many countries around the world are adopting authoritarian models of conflict resolution, marked by violence, coercion, and rigid hierarchies. Increasingly, regimes are adopting illiberal peacebuilding strategies to maintain post-war control – an emerging yet under-researched phenomenon. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the ILIBRLSYRIA project sheds light on how Syria’s regime governs recaptured territories through tactics such as remobilising former rebels, diverting international aid, and encouraging refugee return. Through fieldwork and interdisciplinary research, the project examines the impact of these practices on communities and post-war stability. ILIBRLSYRIA advances academic knowledge and offers critical insights for policymakers confronting the global spread of illiberal peacebuilding.