The political integration of armed groups in a changing global security landscape: Implications for sustainable peace

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Posted on Monday 30 March 2026

Gyda Sindre has written a paper which discusses the prospects for political integration of armed groups in the context of contemporary dynamics of armed conflict.

The paper discusses the prospects for political integration of armed groups in the context of contemporary dynamics of armed conflict. While the conversion of insurgent movements into political actors is not new, shifting global conflict dynamics are challenging the established liberal peace framework. Drawing on insights from comparative case studies of both negotiated settlements and rebel victories, the paper argues that wartime organisational cohesion, governance capacity, ideology, and external engagement decisively shape prospects for post-war political integration of armed groups. It introduces a novel typology of armed groups’ prospects and pathways towards political integration. The analysis offers policy recommendations tailored to group type and context, situated within contemporary conflict environments marked by fragmentation and internationalisation. Ultimately, the paper argues that sustainable peace requires recognising rebel legacies, supporting incremental reforms, and fostering inclusive governance in the long term.

The article is published by the British Academy and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace' Global (Dis)Order Programme on the Global(Dis)Order Evidence Hub (about the programme here)