Peacebuilding in Madagascar: A Multi-Levelled Peace

by Velomahanina Tahinjanahary Razakamaharavo

Overview

This book examines peace and conflict processes in Madagascar from the royal period (c. 1540–1897) to 2022, offering a detailed narrative of conflict recurrence and peacebuilding in the country. Through the lens of trans-,multi-, cross-scalar and hybrid governance frameworks, the author explores the dynamics of indigenous peacebuilding while critically assessing the impact of liberal peacebuilding interventions in Madagascar. The book bridges theoretical gaps in peace and conflict studies introducing the concept of multi-leveled peace by analyzing transformative processes of conflict, both destructive and constructive, to uncover the multi-layered nature of peace. Spanning historical, ideological, and socio-political dimensions, it delivers insights into how Madagascar’s unique hybrid governance system interweaves various actors including state institutions, traditional authorities, grassroots organizations, and international actors. The book highlights the coexistence of peace-promoting practices and conflict-generating forces across multiple scales.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783031913822
Publisher:	Springer Nature Switzerland
Publication date:	07/18/2025
Pages:	300
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.27(h) x (d)

About the Author

Velomahanina Tahinjanahary Razakamaharavo is a scholar and researcher bridging theory and practice in the fields of peacebuilding, conflict transformation, gender dynamics, climate change and emerging technologies. Currently, she serves as a Research Fellow at the School of Philosophy, Politics and Economics (SPPE) at the University of Reading where she is the Country Leader of the IDRC and FCDO-funded project REPRESA in Madagascar. She was also the Principal Investigator of the ESRC-funded HYBRICON project. This research examines the impacts of hybridization processes on local conflict trajectories in Madagascar, exploring their implications for peace and stability. With a PhD in International Conflict Analysis from the University of Kent, Brussels School of International Studies (BSIS), Dr Razakamaharavo have held visiting as well as postdoctoral fellowships and carried out research stays at leading institutions, including the Hochschule für Politik München at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Uppsala University, Umeå University, the European University Institute in Florence, the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding at the Graduate Institute of Geneva, and the Center for Political Science and Comparative Politics within the Institute of Political Science Louvain-Europe at UCLouvain in Belgium. She is a recipient of awards and honours including the Economic and Social Research Council’s New Investigator Grant and the Policy Fellowship at the School of Transnational Governance (STG). In 2017, she was named a Women in International Security (WIIS) Next Generation Scholar, reflecting her commitment to advancing gender equality in peace and security. She has been an active contributor to global initiatives such as the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, focusing on disinformation resilience.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. An account of the episodes of conflict in Madagascar: “tsy maintsy mipoaka ny sarom-bilany” or ‘the cover of the cooking pot will always explode one day or another’.- Chapter 2. Conflict recurrence, hybridity, trans-/cross-/multi-scalar analyses of peace and conflict dynamics.- Chapter 3. Liberal Peace in a Local Context.- Chapter 4. A Timid Local Turn in Peace: the Roles of Formal and Informal Local Infrastructures in Indigenous Peacebuilding in Madagascar.- Chapter 5. The powerful metanarratives.- Chapter 6. The resistant local narratives.- Chapter 7. Merina or Côtiers, Andriana or Andevo: the tales of the local elite -ethnicity and class – Achieving national unity?.- Chapter 8. The grassroots in peace and conflict processes.- Chapter 9. Navigating Peacebuilding in Madagascar: A Cross/Inter/Multi-Scalar Approach to Conflict, Governance, and Reconciliation.