Maekawa Wakako

Main Research Areas

Civil war termination and peacebuilding, Intervention in civil wars

Research Overview

While public attention is often paid to interstate wars, civil wars continue to occur across the globe. Why do civil wars persist? Why do conflicts recur even after peace agreements have been signed? Under what conditions can peace be sustained? My research focuses on civil war termination and peacebuilding, particularly through the lens of third-party intervention. I examine how interventions by the United Nations and other external actors shape conflict termination and post-conflict reconstruction.

My earlier work explored the relationship between third-party interventions and peace agreements, as well as the effects of intervention on the behavior and governance of conflict actors. More recently, I have focused on UN Peace Missions—including UN Peacekeeping Operations (PKOs) and UN Special Political Missions—and their contributions to sustainable peace.

Beyond their security and conflict management functions, such as reducing violence against civilians and supporting the implementation of peace agreements, UN Peace Missions play important roles in democratization, governance improvement, and state-building in post-conflict societies. In addition to the role of UN Peace Missions in security and conflict management, my recent research examines how the deployment and withdrawal of these missions affect societal rebuilding, including democratization, governance, international aid, foreign direct investment, and health-related outcomes. I am particularly interested in understanding how international interventions contribute to sustainable peace and long-term post-conflict recovery. In addition, I study the roles of UN Special Political Missions and the transition from peacekeeping operations to political missions, seeking to better understand effective peacebuilding strategies.

Figure (a). Maekawa, Wakako, Barış Arı, and Theodora-Ismene Gizelis. 2019. “UN involvement and civil war peace agreement.” Public Choice 178: 397-416.

Message to Students

Issues of conflict and peace are not merely events happening in distant lands; they are deeply connected to the international community and people’s lives. Why do conflicts occur, and under what conditions can peace be maintained? What roles can international organizations and national governments play? Addressing these questions from both theoretical and empirical perspectives is the starting point of my research.

At OSIPP, students can tackle complex international issues by drawing on diverse perspectives from international relations, politics, economics, law, and public policy. I look forward to working with students who are eager to think critically about global challenges related to peace and conflict, formulate their own research questions, and contribute to a deeper understanding of issues surrounding peace and conflict.