Policy’s role in democratic conflict management

Abstract This article proposes rethinking democratic conflict management by acknowledging the increasingly important role policy plays in it. As debate on health of democracy intensifies, research how democracies manage and absorb political societal conflicts becomes broadly relevant. Existing theories perspectives view through lens elections other institutional mechanisms, or they examine social economic preconditions for successful while inadequately understanding policies contribute to management. The develops a theoretical framework that allows analysis policies’ material interpretive effects influence thereby strengthen (or weaken) democracy. While focuses hypothesis-generation rather than hypothesis-testing, it draws large variety case examples corroborate illustrate expectations embodied framework. Insights into policy’s expand our challenges twenty-first century create new possibilities comparative, policy-focused what makes work.