Sticks and Carrots for Political Change: Reconciliation in Zimbabwe?

Author(s): Mark Daniel Jaeger
Journal Title: Paper prepared for EISA European Workshops in International Studies
Publication Year: 2014
Publication Place: Izmir

This paper investigates international sanctions applied in a securitized conflict. Contrary to most existing approaches that concentrate on negative sanctions, it considers the systematic application of negative and positive incentives. By empirically analysing EU sanctions against Zimbabwe the paper demonstrates how the strategic use of sticks and carrots may contribute to political change. The paper argues that such strategies offer improved prospects of cooperative outcomes in providing better possibilities to de-securitize conflicts than do purely negative sanctions strategies. It further discloses some of the involved risks of unintended consequences of such sanctions policies.