manuscript_code.R
The women and peace hypothesis suggests that women are less
hawkish than men on security issues. However, research shows women are
also less willing to take on security risks. These tendencies clash in postconflict
societies, where the public is put in the position of having to accept
a negotiated, ‘dovish’ end to war, while simultaneously taking on some risk
as ex-combatants are reintegrated into society. I examine these competing
tendencies among women in Colombia following the 2016 peace agreement
with FARC rebels. Using data from the Americas Barometer, I find a persistent
gender gap in conflict-termination attitudes, with women expressing
more pessimism than men about reconciling with demobilizing FARC members
and stronger opposition to reintegration efforts. These findings suggest
that women’s heightened security concerns may outweigh their less hawkish
tendencies, potentially making them, at the margins, an oppositional
segment of the population to a peace process.