Settlement Endurance

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the question of settlement endurance—a question that overlaps with but is importantly distinct from the question of settlement achievement (as discussed in Chapter 2). We argue that even a brief popular act of entrenchment may solidify in the form of a lasting constitutional settlement. However, the process by which this act occurs is crucial. We particularly focus on deliberative peace referendums. One claim in this chapter will be that these referendums, by drawing on institutional supports for deliberation, may expose a broad but latent constitutional agreement that may already have existed at the popular (but not the elite) level in a conflict society. The referendum may also clarify the reasons on which an agreement is based, and hence deepen the sense of legitimacy that attaches to it.