Finding Peace in Power-Sharing: Assessing the relationship between consociational power-sharing and conflict resolution.

A theory supporting the efficacy and desirability of power-sharing in divided societies. The research would offer two main contributions to that literature. First, it empirically tests a theoretical assumption: Namely, that power-sharing resolves conflict through trust-building experiences between the political leaders inhabiting power-sharing institutions. Second, this proposal will refocus consociationalism's research agenda; current literature never answered this research question but is proceeding impetuously as though it did, such as proposing causal mechanisms.