Deconstructing "Political Will": Explaining the Failure to Prevent Deadly Conflict and Mass Atrocities

Abstract

A common explanation of the failure of states and interna­tional organizations to prevent deadly conflict and mass atroci­ties is the lack of "political will." But more systematic analysis of the concept of political will and its determinants would seem necessary to undergird efforts to mobilize political will for future preventive action. As a preliminary step towards better understanding political will, this paper sketches a conceptual framework for political will's role in conflict prevention and, based on three different models of governmental action, iden­tifies several factors that might affect political will and corre­sponding strategies for its enhancement.