Research on spoilers on peace processes started with the work of Steven John Stedman who focused on the behaviour of this specific type of actors. He identified that spoilers of peace process are those actor who consider the ongoing peace process a threat to their interests or worldview and use violence to spoil it. However this approach was criticized for many reasons – took into consideration only violent behaviour, identified spoilers only ex-post etc.
I decided to study spoilers applying different approach. Instead of focusing on the behaviour of spoilers I focus on their characteristics during the peace process. Applying qualitative comparative analysis I focus on three sets of characteristics – political rights of group, trade with economic resources, support of regional actors.
My research indicates that spoilers of peace processes are not internal actors but regions as their support is the necessary condition of spoiling behaviour. I propose that the attitude of region towards the conflict zone is a crucial actor of the stability of peace process and pre-peace talks in which regional actors would be incorporated can stabilize peace process in the country.
