Conclusion: Should NGO Mediators Promote Norms?

This concluding chapter synthesizes the main findings of the book and suggests some probing questions for future research agendas and larger soul-searching questions for both scholars and practitioners of peace mediation. While the book illustrates how NGO mediators do possess the agency to act as norm entrepreneurs of inclusion in mediation processes, given the unintended negative outcomes of the localization of inclusivity, it suggests that the assumption that mediators should promote liberal (and Western-centric) norms at all should be re-examined in a critical light. Yet the growth of the normative framework shows no signs of abating, with clauses in a growing number of ceasefire and peace agreements (for instance in South Sudan or Colombia) explicitly mentioning international norms such as gender equality and inclusivity. While widespread debate exists between mediation practitioners, the voices of national actors themselves often fall to the wayside. As armed conflicts become more violent and protracted and peace processes become more complex, the need to understand the role norms play in mediation processes remains imperative.