LAUSR

The main contribution of this article is a rethinking of the peace concept, geared towards the creation of a framework for the analysis of agonistic peace . The literature on agonistic peace has thus far been elaborate in terms of theoretical sophistication. However, the dearth of empirical research on the concept is quite remarkable. This study takes that lacuna as a starting point for the grounding of the agonistic peace concept in empirical research and the creation of an analytical tool which can be utilised in the analyses of peace processes in disparate contexts such as Bosnia–Herzegovina, Israel–Palestine and Northern Ireland. The literature on agonistic peace envisions peace as the creation of a political space where former relations of enmity are reframed into being legitimate adversaries. This article forwards an understanding of two fundamental building blocks for understanding agonistic peace—institutional inclusion and identity change, the two theoretical strands which have rarely been interconnected in peace research. Through a cross-fertilisation of these fields, an analytical framework suited for the analyses of peace processes and their aftermaths in terms of agonistic peace is carved out. As such, this study serves as a stepping-stone in furthering empirical as well as conceptual understandings of the viability of peace processes over time.