Influence of Governance Structures on Peacebuilding: Insights from Local Institutions, Corruption Control, and Civil Society
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69569/jip.2026.051Keywords:
Governance structures, Peacebuilding, Decentralization, Corruption, Transitional justice, Civil society, Local governanceAbstract
This study analyzes the influence of governance structures on peacebuilding, focusing on institutional arrangements, corruption dynamics, transitional justice, and civil society engagement. Using a qualitative case study design, the research was conducted in Baguio City, Philippines, with 30 members of the Peace and Order Council (POC) as respondents. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically to generate insights into the role of governance in sustaining peace. Findings revealed that governance structures shape peacebuilding outcomes in multiple ways. Decentralization enhances responsiveness and local ownership, centralization ensures uniformity but restricts flexibility, while hybrid and collaborative models foster inclusivity and balance. At the community level, local governance institutions sustain peace through policy support, community participation, and conflict resolution mechanisms. However, corruption emerged as a critical barrier, undermining trust, diverting resources, and weakening institutional credibility. Challenges in transitional justice included governance constraints, political barriers, socio-cultural dynamics, and limited awareness, while civil society organizations were found to strengthen peacebuilding through advocacy, service delivery, mediation, and accountability. The study concludes that sustainable peacebuilding requires governance models that are inclusive, transparent, and accountable, where state institutions, local governments, and civil society actors collaborate effectively. These findings offer important implications for policymakers, practitioners, and scholars designing adaptive governance frameworks to promote long-term peace.
Downloads
References
Abun, D., Julian, F.P., & Ballesteros, J. (2021). The effect of the work ethics of employees on their work performance. Research in Management and Humanities, 1(1), 58–82.
Blair, R., Di Salvatore, J., & Smidt, H. (2023). UN peacekeeping and democratization in conflict-affected countries. American Political Science Review, 117(4), 1308–1326. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003055422001319
Boonpunth, K.C., & Saheem, N. (2022). Roles of civil society in peacebuilding in Southeast Asia: The case studies of Mindanao, Aceh, and Southernmost Thailand. Asian Affairs: An American Review, 49(2), 88–112. https://doi.org/10.1080/00927678.2022.2089522
de Coning, C., Saraiva, R., & Muto, A. (2022). Adaptive peacebuilding: A new approach to sustaining peace in the 21st century. Palgrave Macmillan.
Debiel, T., & Dombrowski, S. (2023). Hybrid political orders in fragile contexts. In Handbook of Fragile States, pp. 137–151. Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800883475.00013
Destrooper, T. (2024). Contextualising the absence of standardised approaches to transitional justice in the Philippines. International Journal of Law in Context, 20(2), 229–245. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1744552324000016
Donais, T., Edgar, A.D., & Van Houten, K. (Eds.). (2024). Sustainable Development Goal 16 and the global governance of violence: Critical reflections on the uncertain future of peace. Routledge.
Dorasamy, N., & Fagbadebo, O. (2021). Public procurement, corruption and the crisis of governance in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan.
Eaton, K., & Shair-Rosenfield, S. (2024). Autonomy in the pursuit of peace: Demarcation and territorial accommodation in Indonesia and the Philippines. Peacebuilding, 12(3), 317–333. https://doi.org/10.1080/21647259.2023.2251284
Esberg, J. (2024). After authoritarianism: A review article. Political Science Quarterly, 139(4), 611–620. https://doi.org/10.1093/psquar/qqad074
Eschmann, N., & Nilsson, D. (2023). Better together? Civil society coordination during peace negotiations. Cooperation and Conflict, 58(1), 42–60. https://doi.org/10.1177/00108367221077638
Firchow, P., & Selim, Y. (2022). Meaningful engagement from the bottom-up? Taking stock of participation in transitional justice processes. International Journal of Transitional Justice, 16(2), 187–203. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijtj/ijab031
Guth, A. (2024). The Philippines: A social structure of corruption. Crime, Law and Social Change, 82(2), 223–247. https://tinyurl.com/yuk4awjx
Hall, R.A. (2023). The civil society-military interface in the protection of civilians: The Bangsamoro case. Journal of International Peacekeeping, 26(2-3), 168–188. https://doi.org/10.1163/18754112-26020005
Hallward, M.C., Kim, J.E., Mouly, C., Seidel, T., Wai, Z., Adjei, M., & Osei, F.O. (2025). Infrastructures for peace: A conceptual review. The Sage Handbook of Peace and Conflict Studies, 296–306. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781036204440.n31
Ibones, K.A., Enero, J., Jore, J., Mamhot, V., Matheu, C., Pacaldo, H.B., & Jardin, R. (2024). Enabling role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in local environmental management in the Philippines: A systematic review. Journal of Civil Society, 20(4), 359–379. https://doi.org/10.1080/17448689.2024.2381826
Kanyako, V. (2024). Civil society and peacebuilding in Sierra Leone: Donors, government, and human security. Routledge.
Kapogianni, V., & Thorne, B. (2024). Within and beyond transitional justice shadows: Rallying social movements, re-sculpting agendas, re-centring historical injustices. Social & Legal Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/09646639241293021
Karić, T., Van Assche, J., & Swart, H. (2024). ‘It always seems impossible, until it is done’: Perspectives on reconciliation and its underlying processes in post‐conflict societies. European Journal of Social Psychology, 54(5), 1015–1021. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.3066
Kiyala, J.C.K., & Harris, G.T. (2022). Civil society and peacebuilding in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Anthropocene: An overview. Springer.
Kroeker, W. (2021). Multidimensional peacebuilding: Local actors in the Philippine context. Rowman & Littlefield.
Leib, J. (2022). How justice becomes part of the deal: Pre-conditions for the inclusion of transitional justice provisions in peace agreements. International Journal of Transitional Justice, 16(3), 439–457. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijtj/ijac015
Novosseloff, A. (2022). From peacekeeping to peacebuilding: Towards a UN peace continuum. In Routledge Handbook of African Peacebuilding, pp. 15–25. Routledge.
Powell, M., Wafa, D., & Mau, T.A. (2021). Corruption in a global context: Restoring public trust, integrity, and accountability. Routledge.
Pyles, L. (2020). Progressive community organizing: Transformative practice in a globalizing world. Routledge.
Sarjito, A. (2023). Political corruption and how to combat. Journal of Governance, 8(4), 563–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.31506/jog.v8i4.20023
Torfing, J., Bentzen, T., Caponio, T., Coroado, S., Douglas, S., Nõmmik, S., Verhoest, K., et al. (2025). Advancing robust governance in turbulent times: The role of multi‐level governance, hybrid governance, and negotiated societal intelligence. Public Administration. https://doi.org/10.1111/padm.70011
Tselios, V. (2023). Does political decentralization affect income inequality? The role of governance quality. Regional Studies, 57(5), 829–843. https://doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2022.2101634
van de Put, S., & Pacholska, M. (2024). Beyond retribution: Individual reparations for IHL violations as peace facilitators. International Review of the Red Cross, 106(927), 1182-1201. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1816383124000171
Villanueva-Pascua, R.M. (2023). Exploring the role of Civil Society Organizations in peace governance in the ASEAN: The case of a German Political Foundation in the Philippines. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8328437
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
