Samspelet mellan fredsprocessers utformning och spoilergruppers agerande: En fallstudie av fredsprocessen i Nordirland

Sammanfattning: The aim of this thesis is to analyze how different phases of peace processes are related to the behaviour of spoiler groups, and to illustrate this with a case study of the peace process in Northern Ireland. The thesis divides the peace process in three different phases: the prenegotiations, the official negotiations and the implementation phase. In each phase three variables are analyzed: the composition and function of the phase, the behaviour of spoiler groups and their influence on the negotiations. This study concludes that the varying composition of the different phases may lead to different types of spoiler behaviour. In the prenegotiation phase, the spoiler groups aim at manoeuvring the peace process in line with their own agenda. During the official negotiations some groups attempt to spoil the negotiations while others attempt to orientate the talks to achieve advantages for themselves. The behaviour of spoiler groups in these phases is subject to the inclusive character of the peace process, the mistrust between the parties and the lack of political progress in the negotiations. In the implementation phase, the spoiler behaviour is aimed at achieving a renegotiation of the peace accord or preventing the implementation of the agreement. The spoiler behaviour correlates with the composition of the peace accord, e.g. concerning how the accord states that the changes are to be implemented and concerning the potential gains that the accord may bring the parties.