Power Peace: The Resolution of the Syrian Conflict in a Post-Liberal Era of Peacemaking

The complexity of the Syrian conflict prompted the engagement of new actors of peacemaking - notably Turkey and Russia - whose interactions with the UN model have often been described as the confrontation of liberal versus illiberal norms and values. This article investigates the impact of these dynamics on peace and the political system in Syria. Building on the analysis of 100 interviews, it questions the liberal-illiberal dyad. Peacemaking in Syria is more hybrid. It is a marketplace where mediators of all types pursue 'power peace', or the pre-eminence of geopolitical interests and statecraft over any ideal of peace.