UNPACKING PEACEBUILDING ¿ ASSESSING POLITICAL LEGITIMACY AMIDST INTERNATIONAL INTERVENTION IN HAITI IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE

The thesis examines the legitimacy of the United Nations stabilisation mission present in Haiti from 2004 to 2017 to the local population, and how this configuration affected the outcomes achieved by the operation, as well as its long-term impact on the social and political conditions prevalent in the country. A comparative analysis with the cases of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, East Timor and Somaliland is performed in order to contrast the findings of the case study, and to enable more generalizable conclusions concerning the question of political legitimacy in postcolonial and developing countries affected by violent conflict, political instability and international interventions. Beyond the empirical analysis, the thesis aims to bring a theoretical contribution, presenting critical points for theory refinement concerning political legitimacy, especially in the contexts concerned here. The thesis argues that the peace-as-statebuilding paradigm of international interveners have contributed for the (re)production of predatory political economies, violent contestation and further social and political fragmentation in Haiti, Democratic Republic of Congo and Afghanistan, and reflects on how the international humanitarian apparatus can support societies affected so endogenous political processes can develop for the achievement of stability and democratisation.